


Astonished / Amazed : Web of Darkness

by UTKujo



Category: Original Work
Genre: Gothic, Minor Violence, Original Character(s), Original Mythology, Original Universe, Science Fiction, Secret Identity, Supernatural Elements
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-26
Updated: 2019-11-26
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:55:24
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 31,221
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21569509
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/UTKujo/pseuds/UTKujo
Summary: Picking up after Virgilia's Letter, this time, it's Ailana's connection to Walter revealed.
Kudos: 1





	1. Chapter 1

My name is Ailana Lotton…

A Novus Prodigy destined for greatness.

Ever since I was born, an illustrious path has already been laid out for me.

A burden too big for even a child my age to bear.

A burden that eventually bereft me from the outside world.

What I am is someone unworthy to even the outside world itself.

Mine was that different from others.

This is my story… About my world.

A world hidden in the shadows, mysterious to even both humans and novus alike. 

A world alien to heroes and villains, upon the shadows a our society that predates human civilization itself.

This is how my world crossed paths with him.

To a boy whom I barely knew, yet felt a warm bond with. 

A boy that would be the hero this world will someday worship and admired.

\-------------------------------

Long ago in a time that predates the Old World, in the age of myth where gods and men walked together in the mortal realm. These gods would be the foundation of different pagan worships throughout history. Blessed beings that wielded technology that was beyond mortal comprehension of cosmic in origin, the Mantra.

Together with the first men, the world flourished. Many towering citadels dot the landscape, each with different divine beings governing it. For eons, these beings and humanity lived in harmony, but as the universal rule, nothing lasts forever.

It was then that mankind began to exhibit their worst, they grew greedy for their gods’ blessings. Until eventually hatching up a plan to betraying these supreme beings by attempting to harness and steal their technology. These group of humans went ahead with their plans yet they failed miserably as they were quickly discovered.

The divine beings were both deeply sorrowed and angered by this sin. As divine retribution, the divine beings unleash a powerful cataclysm that destroyed all of their citadels and wiped their memory of them ever coming into contact. Reducing the planet back to its primitive state.

After finishing the deed, they altogether abandoned their once most cherished children. The sin of the few costed the fall of an entire civilization, innocents whom were loyal to the divine beings also suffered their wrath. Of course, not all divinity agreed to the incineration of humanity. 

One of the divine beings, known only the title of the “Golden Ancestor”, stepped down from the cosmos and offered his hand to help rebuild what was left of mankind. Though lacking with majority of the Mantra other than his body, with his power and knowledge, he helped mankind stand back up from the ashes and sired many civilizations in his wake.

While the Golden Ancestor oversaw mankind’s slow progress, he also oversaw the perpetrators that incurred the wrath of his divine kin. these group of humans now cursed by the divine beings themselves with agonizing immortality, and cursed never to reproduce a descendant from that point on. Lastly, part of their curse would require them to drink human blood to sustain themselves, no longer would they attain sustenance from everyday produce and livestock.

Before the Golden Ancestor, these cursed humans begged for his mercy and repented in his name. They cried for a release of this immortal curse, but sadly, It was already beyond his power to reverse it. Although, he can only alter its affliction under one condition.

By the power of the Golden Ancestor, the cursed ones made a sacred covenant. They were to guard the secrets of the Mantra, in exchange for the alleviation of their curse. The cursed ones agreed to the Golden Ancestor’s terms and from that point on… they were established as one sacred congregation, the Regnant of Eve.

\------------------------------------

The Regnant of Eve were a clan of immortal beings that has guarded the secret of the Mantra for eons to come. In order for them produce an offspring, a mate from outside the clan must either undergo a certain ritual if they were compatible with the Mantra, an actual wielder of the Mantra, or be a reincarnation of the Golden Ancestor himself. The selection process had been scarce and only a handful of branching clans within the Regnant of Eve were blessed with one.

Throughout the course of human history, the Regnant of Eve have lived an exclusive yet luxurious lifestyle. A prestigious clan or Illuminati hidden from the light, almost cutting themselves out of human civilization. Each of them were blessed by the Mantra, a boon or blessing in exchange of them overseeing it; in contrast, they still have the Original Sin’s curse, although already diluted throughout the years.

The clan is spread out around the globe, either unearthing buried Mantra artifacts or just guarding them from away from human eyes. Ever since the cataclysm of the White Storm, they have been actively moving their artifacts and charges. With most of them migrating to the United States of America, most notably places that have been fallen into a Red Zone.

It was just recently that the elders of the clan, saw a vision from the Mantra itself, that a child from one of their branches, the House of Lotton, will lead them back into the light. Thus, years after the prophecy, a beautiful girl named Ailana Serenitia Lotton was born. A child destined as the future of their sacred clans, a child without the curse of the Original Sin.

\-------------------------------------------

The House of Lotton was a rather simple family despite its prestigious face value. Before Ailana was born, her father died of a rather mysterious illness coming into contact with her mother. Her father was an outsider whom never underwent the congregation’s rituals.

He was fully aware of the consequences, yet still chose his love for Ailana’s mother over the danger of being with one of the immortal clans’ daughter. There was none to oppose them as Ailana’s grandparents were long departed when they refused to consume any more human blood. The two met in a rather unlikely situation, then just got together, fell in love and presented themselves as husband and wife before the Regnant’s elder council, whilst hiding his true identity.

Months after her father’s passing, Ailana was born. She was healthy, blessed with the Mantra and bereft of the Original Sin’s curse, much to the joy of Mrs. Lotton and the rest of the clan heads. As her only child, Mrs. Lotton doted on her daughter gave her a happy home despite widowed.

During her childhood, Ailana’s was as normal as normal human child’s. Playing outside, meeting new friends and even getting together with her friends’ households. Though with her mother absent, as she was still pureblood, she grew independent and mature for her age.

During the aftermath White Storm cataclysm, Ailana was one of the first ones to exhibit such promising potential. As a Novus, her powers have a growing potential to them that even the Supernova League took notice. Her popularity as one of the first youngest Nova ever conceived, just instantly skyrocketed.

It was then that her seemingly normal life, began to change…

\---------------------------------

Noble District Park

It had been a stressful weekend for Ailana, going to parties and gatherings and even press conferences. Her popularity was being to get caught up with her, she never knew how heavy the responsibility was. Ailana was supposed to have another conference to attend to later in the day, so she went ahead and went to the park.

It had been almost a week since her last stroll, and it felt like forever. As she entered to look for her friends, she was instantly greeted by a nostalgic atmosphere. The warmth of the sun, the smell of mowed grass, it was all coming back to her.

“Hey you guys! You guys!”

The little Ailana’s expression lit up as she spotted familiar faces up ahead. 

“Hey, it’s been a while! What’re you guys up to now?”,

“...”,

“Guys?”

Instead of the usual warm welcome, the group seemed distant with her as they were taken aback by her presence. The other kids look at one another with bemusement. Ailana just tilted her head in curiosity. 

“What’s wrong? Ben? Homer? Jackie? Julie? You guys looked like you just saw a ghost. Are you guys playing catch? Can I joi--”,

“No!”,

“Wh-Wha…?”

Ailana was taken by surprise with her friend Homer’s sudden rebuttal.

“W-Well if you guys wanna play another game, I’m always up for--”,

“No we don’t want to play with you, Ailana!”,

“What?”

Ailana misunderstood the first response but with that second one with Julie, their intentions were clear. 

“But why…? I-Is it because I’m a Novus? But… Ben and Jackie were too. We can suppress our powers too.”,

“No that’s not it.”,

“Huh?”

This time Ben stepped forward before Ailana; Ben the most understanding member of their group and a fellow Novus, even opposed at the notion of her playing with them.

“You’ve been everywhere, magazines, newspapers and even TV like some celebrity.”,

“Yeah and you are stronger than Ben and Jackie. It’s no fun playing with someone who can win no matter what!”

Ben and Julie both expressed their concerns towards their former friend, much to the latter’s surprise.

“But… you guys. I’m still me. I really missed you all because I’ve been away for almost a week. I was really looking forward to playing with you guys again…”,

“Then why don’t you just call on your adult friends? Hmph! Come on, let’s play somewhere else.”,

“But…”

Just like that, at the scoff of her friend Julie, the group left without a second thought. The little Ailana just watched as they went away out of sight, all smiles and without the care in the world. Only this time, she was cast out of the group, friends whom she held dear for two years upon her first time outside the manor.

Ailana was distraught, but she did not backed down. On several occasions, she did try to get back with them, but her former peers were just as adamant. She would also attempt to make new friends, but her name was already too well-known that everyone that she would meet would treat her as an icon, not a human being.

\-------------------------------------------------

The Lotton Manor

One day upon arriving home, Ailana hastily marched through the door. The little girl just passed their butler and a couple of housemaids without even greeting them back. She locked herself in her room, barring the door with her own powers; reinforcing it with a neon webbing.

She shut away herself in that room for hours to come. Little Ailana was supposed to have attended a conference and a midnight gathering that day but she refused to even leave her room. The maids and butlers were already calling her from outside the door, concerned for their little mistress.

“What is this commotion?”

A familiar voice suddenly rang through the commotion. A woman dressed in a beautiful red dress with a white scarf hung on her shoulders; she was as beautiful as the clear twilit sky, a beauty from the darkness; her silken long white hair flowed like satin. She was the very splitting image of Ailana herself.

“M-Madame Lotton!”

The crowd of Manor staff altogether bowed before the mistress of the mansion’s presence. She was none other than Aifina Lotton, Ailana’s mother and heir apparent to the Lotton clan. Despite her powerful presence about her, she was a mother figure not just to her daughter, but to also all of the staff that served her clan.

“Darcy, Amelia--speak.”

From the crowd, two figures stepped forth before the mistress; Darcy, the head butler and Amelia, the oldest serving housemaid.

“Yes madamoiselle. Lady Ailana has locked herself in her room for hours now.”,

“She has already missed the Supernova League Conference and the Gala.”

Amelia and Darcy promptly responded to their mistress’ favor, giving their summarized report.

“I see… vacate the area and go back to your respective posts. I shall see to this personally.”,

“Madamoiselle, what about---”,

“Make a call and tell the press that my daughter won’t make it. Darcy, cancel my appointments for tonight and the day after”,

““Understood.””

Darcy and Amelia bowed in acknowledgment and prompted the crowd of staff to go back to their own set duties. Once the staff left the area, Lady Aifina examined the reinforced lock that her daughter made. She gave the door a light knock and another, then just promptly phased through the solid door like a phantasmal being, one of her abilities as a cursed one.

“Ailana dear?”

Lady Aifina found herself in a dimly lit room of her daughter. The bed had its sheets mostly ruffled, her toys were in disarray. There was no sign of her daughter lashing out, yet Lady Aifina sensed a rather sad atmosphere.

“Ailana.”,

“Mommy…”

The little Ailana was huddled by her bed side surrounded with her dolls. There was a noticeable bags under her eyes and were red because she had been crying. Ailana got up and hugged her mother, let her warmth eased her tired heart.

“Mommy, I hate this… I hate being popular… I’m miserable. They don’t want to play with me--uuuhuuuoooogh.”

With her frustrations finally out in the open, the little Ailana muffled her cry upon her mother’s embrace.

“Hic… I’m tired. I was looking forward to playing with them… and then--”

One by one, she told her mother what had happened, in addition to how she felt about it.

“I just--hic--want friends… I hate this!”,

“I am so sorry my dear flower.”

Lady Aifina comforted her dear daughter as she gently patted her back. Despite her daughter’s freedom, she was miserable. And despite her mother wanting to spend more time with her, she could not do so because she has a duty to fulfill as a member of the Court of the Regnant.

The Regnant of Eve forbids its court to come in contact with the outside world. Lady Aifina was happy that she made friends and upon the discovery of her being her own person. But in the end of the day, she was still a kid yearning for friends and family. 

The mother spent the rest of the night hearing her daughter’s frustrations, it was the least she could do. Lady Aifina was guilty that she could not even part her daughter with a sound advice, living in seclusion all her life. If anything, Ailana has more experience with the outside world than her mother.

She wanted for her daughter to live a normal life, yet Ailana was yet to face the real horrors and struggle of real life for such a young age. To Lady Aifina, Ailana deserved so much more than to live in seclusion like the rest of her clan. Until her destiny is fully realized, Lady Aifina sworn to give her daughter the best life that she could live.

That morning…

Although it was quite almost high noon, the halls of Lotton Manor were still dimly lit as if it was still at the dead of night. One of their curses, the cursed ones of the Regnant of Eve can no longer walk in broad daylight. Like the vampire legend that was attributed to them, they cannot walk broad daylight, but rather the suns rays causes them to be inflicted with severe sensory overload.

A pureblood exposed to daylight would cause his/her senses to overstimulate due to them being already acute. It would cause severe stress on their brain that they would either go insane or just die of brain damage. An excruciating end for their likes, hence the Regnant of Eve were active at night.

“Ailana dear… wake up.”,

“Hm? Mommy?”

From the little Ailana’s bedside, her mother gave her daughter a kiss of good morning as she woke her up.

“You have a visitor.”,

“A visitor!? Ooh! Is it a new friend?”

Just like the little girl that she was, Ailana immediately sprung up from her bed as she heard the word. As she got up from her bed, another person was present in her own bedroom. This person was just as short as Ailana was but had a more adult presence about her.

This visitor was certainly an interesting one. A short woman with a fuzzy pink hair with a pair of cat ears jutting out of her head, in addition to the two tails behind her. This feline woman was dressed in an office get-up with a long white overcoat that hung on her shoulders.

“So this is I presume, Ailana Serenitia Lotton?”,

“U-Umm… Y-Yes. A pleasure to meet you, ma’am.”

Ailana hurriedly fixed her pajamas and bed hair to pay the honored guest her respect; The visitor’s voice belied her overly youthful appearance.

“Oh some good manners? what a good girl you have here, Aifina.”

The visitor also spoke with Ailana’s mother with such familiarity; Lady Aifina just responded with giggle, with slight hint of pride for her daughter’s best behavior.

“In any case, Ailana. I am Celica Ferrion. Head Counselor of the Yorktown State University and Affiliate of the Supernova Committee.”

It was none other than Celica Ferrion, the would-be club advisor of the SA Brigade in the near future. Other than being a trusted outside confidant of the Regnant of Eve, she was also Lady Aifina’s close friend since childhood. She was a woman of influence recognized even by such a secret order like the Regnant.

“So… you’re my aunt?”,

“I guess you could say that. But since I’m an outsider, your clan forbids it so.”,

“Oh… you said earlier that you’re an affiliate of the Supernova Committee. I didn’t attend the gathering and conference last night… I’m sorry.”,

“Fufu… Did you now? Well that’s fine, I’m not here to reprimand you regarding that. I’m not the proper authority to do so.”

Ms. Celica began circling the girl, examining her from head to toe. She paused for a moment as she nodded two times as if forming a conclusion in her mind. Her friend was not exaggerating in the slightest, Ms. Celica can sense a latent Nexus energy just laying dormant within her.

“Actually, I came here to offer you something that I’m sure you would like---what say you going to school?”,

“School---oh!”

Ailana’s expression sprung wide awake as she heard the lucrative proposition. Up until now, Ailana was being home-schooled by their butler Darcy. To go to an actual alma matter would mean a life-changing experience for her.

“W-Will I get to meet new people? Friends?”,

“Of course! All that and more under my supervision of course. What do you say?”

Ms. Celica asked one more time to the little girl; before she could respond, Ailana glanced at her mother, whom in turn gave a nod of approval.

“Yes please, aunt Celica!”,

“’Aunt Celica’, huh? Hehe. Well then! A pleasure to be working with you as your supervisor, young Ailana.”

The two then shook hands to seal the deal, the little Ailana even shaking it with great vigor and excitement. Lady Aifina thought that her daughter would abhor the idea of going to an actual public institution, but it turned out better than she had expected. It was the mark of a new chapter to this little girl’s life.

\----------------------------------------

Yorktown State University, Pre-school Division District

It was the next day that Ms. Celica took the little Ailana to her school and her new second home. Prior to this, Ms. Celica have arranged for the little girl’s schedule for upcoming conferences; stating that the Supernova Committee or any other commercial promotions were prohibited from interfering on Ailana’s school life and must be done on the kid’s free time only. With her limelight worries secured, Ailana was free to enjoy life in school to its fullest.

“My name is Ailana Serenitia Lotton, nice to meet you all!”

Her introduction to her first class was met with a boisterous welcome as expected, she was a young celebrity after all. She did not mind it one bit, in fact she welcomed it in her eagerness to make new friends. Other pupils from other classes and even upper levels would flock to her to meet her, she amassed quite a following for quite a short time.

And then days became weeks, weeks became months, then finally months to years…

Years had flown by, a decade has already passed. The little Ailana blossomed into a beautiful woman, that even in her most vulnerable and dull moments she was like a living and breathing work of art. If not for her pink hair, she would have been mistaken as her mother’s twin.

Now in middle school, she focused on her academics and her student duties. While she was not the top of the class, she was quite a role model. She was also had been invited numerous times for the Middle School’s Student Council but she would decline it in every chance she get.

Aside from being the school’s ideal “it girl”, she was very humble and indiscriminate. Ailana was the type of person who would talk to any type of peers, and would always pay attention to anyone who needed her help. As someone who have been set to becoming a superhero, she was already acting as one.

\---------------------

Lotton Manor

“Hello…? Anyone here…?”

Ailana found herself walking upon a vacated Noble District Park. It was already noon, but the entire surroundings were dim and gray. She had been walking for quite a while now and it seemed that the entire area just circled around her with no end.

“...”,

“Someone there?”

Suddenly from a distance, she heard a girl crying. Upon heading towards the source, she happen upon a playground with a kid crying huddled by the sand box. Something tells Ailana that she should not approach but she did it anyway.

“Hello little girl, are you okay?”,

“...”,

“You’re alone? What’s wrong?”

Ailana gently patted the girl’s back, comforting her with her company. As soon as she did, the kid fell silent but still huddled, her face hidden from Ailana. Despite the sudden ominous presence, Ailana insisted on her company.

“...left…”,

“Hmm?”,

“...left…me…”

The kid spoke in an almost muffled tone with broken sentences that Ailana could not even make out what the kid was saying.

“Left you? Who left you?”,

“...friends…”,

“I see. Your friends left you too, I presume?”

Ailana knew the feeling well as she sympathized with her. Before, the kids whom she had known for quite some time thoroughly shunned her for being so different. It was the first time in her life that she felt betrayed and hurt.

“Don’t worry. You’ll make new friends. Maybe I can be your new friend.”,

“...huh…?”,

“Yes, think of me as a big sister. I can play with you.”,

“You... will…?”,

“Yes, I promise.”,

“...promise…”

Despite her words’ weight, the little girl reciprocated such a deadpan response.

“Hyah…!”

A sudden gust of wind blew pass Ailana that caught her off guard. As she cleared her vision, the little girl was no longer beside her. She found her just standing mere few steps away with her back turned.

“She… promised… you hear that guys? She promised…”,

“...!”

Ailana recoiled as 4 pillars appeared from the mist behind the girl. Each pillar had four children tied unto it, each depicting on how they died. One was bisected by the waist, one had her body riddled with bullet wounds, one had his flesh festered with green pus, and the last one was covered in deep cuts.

“Oh my God…”

That moment, Ailana felt like she was going to throw up at the grotesque sight before her. 

“Ailana’s my new friend… say hello… Ben, Homer, Jackie… and Julie…”

The little girl finally stepped out of the shadows, her identity revealed a terrifying truth.

“You’re me.”,

“Yes… Ailana… I am you… the one you’ve forgotten---”

As the younger Ailana approached her, her face revealed to be a dripping black mass with spiders crawling out of her mouth and body. Then as she got closer, she sprouted spider-like appendages from her back. The very sight instilled fear unto Ailana herself as she struggled to stand up and run.

“Ah…! Ah!!!”

Ailana then noticed the sandbox was now a sinking pit of spider nest.

“Why are you running… you promised.. you promised…!!!”,

“AAAAAAAHHHHHH…!!!”

=======================

“AAAAAAHHH---!!!”

It was already morning, Ailana suddenly sat up her bed from that night terror. Hurriedly, she got off the bed then rushed to her bathroom and threw up. She felt her head was spinning from motion sickness, something a Novus would not even come into contact.

Ailana then furiously washed her face three times, as her nightmare was still burned to her memory. It did not felt like an ordinary bad dream, it felt like a vision or something similar. She only just woke up and she was already mentally and emotionally fatigued.

\------------------------------------------

YSU, Middle School Division District

Ailana went to school with naught of her usual energy, she was still disturbed by her night terror last night. After arriving at school, she immediately drowned herself in books and numerous reference materials on her desk. She thought to herself that if she can just distract herself, maybe it will be just but an afterthought.

“Hi, Ailana. Oooh… Studying already at this early?”,

“Yeah we still have three hours before the class starts.”

From outside, two girls--early bird students arrived to greet her; spotting Ailana this early was quite a surprise.

“Oh I’m just studying our upcoming---ah…”

Ailana thought company of others would help, but as she turned to face them, she saw something else. The faces of the two girls were enveloped with a seeping darkness with warped smiles upon them. The sight nearly made her jump on her seat, it felt like she was still dreaming but she was very much awake.

“Ailana? I-Is something wrong?”,

“Ah… ah…”,

“Ailana?”

The bemused student was puzzled by the sudden drastic change of her expression, akin to someone whom has see a ghost.

“S-Sorry! I have to… go!”

With that hasty response, Ailana immediately bolted out of the classroom and into the hallways. Though it was still early in the morning, the halls were already populated As she left, and looked at her surroundings, she saw the same vision with other people too but with varying warped expressions.

“Ah--ahh!!!”

She was on the edge that she felt like being consumed by delirium. Ailana frantically ran through the halls, with no destination in mind as she was continuously plagued by these surreal hallucinations. Since she was quite well-known, people that she have passed were genuinely intrigued by her strange behavior as she ran through the halls.

“Get away! Get away!”

The poor Ailana began cursing and shouting to everyone she came across; she was sweating and crying, on the verge of a mental breakdown. 

‘Promise…’

“AAAAAAHHHH---!!!”

With that final scream, she just blacked out in the middle of the hall.

\--------------------------------------

YSU School Infirmary

“Mmmh…”

It was all of a sudden, she just mumbled herself awake and found herself in the school infirmary. Looking at the clock, it was already almost noon. She had been passed out for hours now in the middle of class period.

“Ailana? You’re awake.”,

“Ms. Celica…”

From behind the curtains, entered her proctor, Ms. Celica. She was the one who brought her to the infirmary, the second that she heard that Ailana was lashing out in the halls.The feline lady sat beside the weary Ailana, whom was still shook.

“Can you tell me what happened, Ailana? Why were you being delirious like a mental-ward escapee earlier?”,

“I… I…”

It was a challenge to describe what she had saw, but her aunt deserved to know the truth.

“You see… Ms. Celica---”

She then told her story from the start. How she had a nightmare about her childhood, with her former childhood friends being strung up mutilated and diseased. Then how she started hallucinating after, she was scared and confused.

“I see… You said you saw people being enveloped in darkness wearing such disturbing expressions--then it just overloaded your senses and you blacked out?”,

“Y-Yes.”,

“Ah unfortunate.”,

“Wh-What?”

Ailana noticed a perturbed expression upon Ms. Celica’s countenance, as if this was all too familiar with the latter.

“You see, your mother went through the same thing. But hers was just the sudden hallucinations, it was a sign of a latent awakening of the curse of your clan. From what you’ve described, yours was… more disturbing.”,

“What do you mean?”

As soon as Ailana asked, Ms. Celica put out four police report folders. 

“She disclosed that once a member of your clan was on the verge of awakening their curse, they would gain a vision of misfortune to those people whom were close to them. We were able to prevent it in your mother’s case, but yours were different--yours was unpredictable.”,

“Oh my God… Oh my God… No… No…”

Ailana could not help but cry as she opened the folder’s contents revealing something unsightly. The fate of her four former childhood friends, as depicted in her nightmare was captured in great detail. It was like a waking nightmare, misfortune fell upon them like a curse from a higher power.

Homer Bradson, had a freak accident on the Tram Transit where he slipped and ran over, bisecting his entire upper body in the process.

Ben Nathans, had contracted a mysterious epidemic rare for a Novus that he needed to be quarantined for it; he died in quarantine a few days later.

Jackie Tasos, died during captivity in a hostage situation from the far district bank heist; she was shot multiple times by the bank robbers that held her captive.

And finally, Julie Drake, who died when she was mugged by the back alley; she was stabbed multiple times as she tried to escape.

“uuuughh….uuuhuugh…”

Ailana was awashed by guilt and sadness for these people she once called her friends. She never wished them such ill and gruesome fates as this. Ms. Celica lent her shoulder for her to cry on, it was too much for her to take.

“Don’t worry, Ailana. It’s not your fault, I’m sorry we could not prevent it.”,

“But… what about me…? What’s going to happen to me?”,

“There, there…”

Ms. Celica tried to comfort her first, wiping her tears with her thumb.

“I have taken the necessary protocol to suppress your powers. You shouldn’t be experiencing hallucinations, though you may need to train it to further harness it.”,

“Train it?”,

“The hallucinations you have experienced are the result of your Empathic ability. You know how other Novus/Anomalus have telepathic abilities, that can read minds? An Empath reads not the mind, but the heart---emotions through psychic means.”,

“Then… the hallucinations---”,

“You guessed it right, those are actually the manifestation of one’s person’s heart.”

Ailana fell silent for a while, recollecting herself. 

“Thank you, Ms. Celica.”,

“No problem, don’t sweat these cases. Fate is a cruel mistress, I’ll just take care of it for you. But you should talk to your mother, as soon as possible. You can go home now, I’ll just write up an excuse for you.”

With those parting words, Ms. Celica left the infirmary to give Ailana some time to think. Following her advice, Ailana went home early to meet up with her mother as soon as she was able. 

\----------------------------

Lotton Manor

On her way home, Ailana noticed a growing and throbbing headache. It must be her Empathic Powers breaking through Ms. Celica’s Nexus suppression. Then a few moments later, she felt something growing in her mouth.

She felt stuffy in her gums, as if her teeth were falling off. Pulling out a mirror, she noticed that her teeth growing into razor sharp incisors; and her veins glowing like circuitry upon her flesh. There was no mistaking it, she was undergoing a transformation. 

“Ah, good afternoon mada--aaah!”

Amelia was the first to greet Ailana, but was caught off guard when she saw her appearance changing.

“My… mother. Where is mother?”,

“Come come! This is most troubling. You two! Call Lord Darcy and put the entire premises under lock down! Follow me, young mistress, we haven’t a time to lose.”

Upon Amelia’s orders, the house servants began scrambling about and set the entire Lotton Manor under a quarantine protocol. They thought this day would never come, the time where this kind of protocol would never come to pass. Amelia quickly lead Ailana to the underground reaches of the manor.

While the Lotton Manor seemed like your typical noble mansion from the outside, the structure itself actually had deeper halls built underground. This was where the base of operation of the Lotton Servant Corps were based in, and where Lady Aifina spends most of her time.

Each clan of the Regnant of Eve have their own Servant Corps, an elite regimen of maids and butlers assigned to serve and protect their master’s properties. They consist mainly of either retired military personnel, former elite assassins, or Novus mercenaries. All of them wholeheartedly pledged a vow of secrecy and allegiance, to protect the secret of the Regnant of Eve.

Upon the underground facility also lies Lady Aifina’s grand study with an underground hall that connects to a secret railroad. To which she uses to move from her manor to the Regnant’s headquarters. This was her life ever since she was born, before and after she met her human husband, forced to live in darkness and seclusion.

“We have arrived, Lady Ailana. Through that door is Madamoiselle Aifina’s study. I am forbidden to proceed any further, forgive moi.”,

“It’s fine. Thank you Ms. Amelia.”

Ailana find it hard to speak with her fangs jutting out. With her parting words, Amelia went back to her post whilst Ailana proceeded alone. The glowing outline of her circuit-like veins and her fangs made her distinguishable upon the impenetrable darkness.

“Mother…?”

As soon as Ailana entered the grand study, it was fairly dark. The entire study’s light source were numerous gas lamps placed upon the pillars upon the labyrinthine maze of bookshelves. Thanks to her supernatural sight, Ailana can see as clear as day even in amid the dark.

“Mother?”,

“Ailana… is that your voice? Please give me a moment.”

From the far side of the underground hall, Ailana felt a strong yet familiar presence; from the impenetrable shadows’ veil emerged Lady Aifina. 

“...!”

Lady Aifina almost recoiled as she saw her daughter’s current state.

“Ailana--”,

“Mother!”

Ailana went to embrace her mother, the latter was still laden with shock. As soon as her daughter eased her embrace, she quickly inspected her daughter’s physical state. It was as she expected, her daughter was already undergoing metamorphosis at such an early age.

“Did someone saw you in this form?”,

“No… It was just Ms. Amelia.”,

“Good, I have received your aunt’s call earlier. But I never thought you would also undergo such a drastic metamorphosis.”

Beforehand, Lady Aifina has received Ms. Celica’s call regarding her daughter’s reported delirium at school. It was fortunate that neither her classmates nor even Celica has witness her transformation. Celica might have been a trusted outsider in the Regnant of Eve, but such a sight was still forbidden for her to see.

“Mother… what is going to happen to me..? What am I to become..?”,

“There, there my sweet little flower…”

Words of comfort seem to come to her naturally. Lady Aifina was bemused and shocked by this development. Her daughter was the supposed first in eons, to be the first of the Regnant to be free of the curse. Yet now, seeing her transformation, it did not made a lick of sense to her.

“Were you running at broad daylight, and noticed or feel anything?”,

“Other than my Empathic powers re-surging and my sudden transformation, none…”

Ailana just responded with a simple and honest answer which further confused her mother. Her daughter was undergoing such transformation, yet she was unharmed by the sunlight? It does not even add up.

“Do not worry, Ailana. I shall train you to harness your powers. But until then, promise me… Do not get too close to someone, even if it is love. Understand?”,

“...Yes, mother…”

Ailana was distraught by the thought of her having to restrict herself from people, just when she was making so many new friends. In usual circumstances, she would have objected. But since her situation was just as dire, she would have to follow her mother’s instructions.

\------------------------------------

Over the course of three months, Ailana has shut herself in the manor to undergo her mother’s rituals and training. To harness her cursed nature was paramount, or else to be seen in public would mean violating the Regnant’s laws. Through rigorous struggle, Ailana learned how to harness her innate darkness.

While some humans gained extraordinary powers from the White Storm to become the Nova, the Cursed Ones did not benefit from this turn of history. As such, they were immune to the White Star’s rays, the Nova were completely alien to them. It was apparent that the Novus and the Cursed Ones were incompatible in terms of companionship.

Born under the thousandth red moon, Ailana herself was not only the first in her kind to walk freely on broad daylight. Because of her human nature, she was able to gain the powers of the White Star, becoming a union of Novus and Cursed One in one body. Now in addition to her Nexus Trait, she also has the Kindred’s Vein abilities; the Kindred’s Vein was an innate trait of Cursed Ones, akin to Nexus Traits to Nova.

The purpose of her training was to leash the Kindred’s Vein from taking over her physical form. As such, Ailana undergoes a transformation whenever she manifests the ability. From fangs to glowing veins, the initial stage of transformation.

As a Cursed One, Ailana consumes human blood, but unlike the rest of her brethren, she can also eat a normal diet like a human does. During her examination, Ailana was tasked to consume blood in a form of gel capsule once a day to sate her Kindred’s Vein. The test concluded that missing one dose of capsule would result in the initial transformation.

After three months, Ailana was once again set free. Coming back to school, she was more distant than she was before as if what came out of the manor was a completely different person. She would still entertain people who would approach her, but not as sociable as before.

She was in constant distraught, yet she must persevere in for her mother’s sake. It was the thought of having never to be allowed to get close to someone was jarring, for a girl of a friendly nature like her. She was just going with the flow against her will, afraid that the moment her emotions get the best of her--something of dire consequences was guaranteed to happen.

It was at that fateful night, her life will once again take a complete turn…

\----------------------------------------

YSU Middle School Division District

It was a stormy night, the deluge was pouring since afternoon. On her class, Ailana was usually the last to go home, making sure she finishes her homework before going home. She was that kind of student who would rather rest at than do her homework at home; hence she would usually stay late.

“...!”

As she made her way towards the main building, Ailana spotted something moving upon an alleyway of the class hall. From the mountain of garbage, a bloodied and seemingly lifeless body lied upon it. The victim was no doubt beaten into a bloody pulp, without mercy due to the lack of signs of struggle.

Ailana checked the poor souls’ vital signs and inspected his injuries. He sustained multiple broken bones, mainly on the torso and his right leg and a large portion of his skull. His face was swollen into an unrecognizable bloody mess, in addition to both his optic nerves ruptured due to multiple blows to the head.

“Ah… ah…”,

“Can you hear me? Sir? Sir?”

Ailana called out to him as she sensed his breathing was slowly fading into a choke.

“Vee… Vee…”

The poor soul softly gasped with his ruptured lung.

“Oh my goodness… Who did this to you?”

Ailana was no less shocked at his condition, she can feel that this poor soul was still fighting. With her Empathic ability, she can only sense… sadness--a glaring sadness within his heart crying for his body to stand up. With what seemed like his last ounce of strength, he reached out his hand in front of him.

“I… want to live…”

This poor soul’s resolve resounded strongly in his heart despite his fatal injuries. Ailana took his hand close to her, she could not ignore this poor soul’s determination still grasping in straws as it was being pulled by the hands of death. His hand felt cold, and his ebb of life was slowly losing the struggle.

Ailana debated in her mind and in heart, she swore not to use the Kindred’s Vein without the permission of her mother. But if it meant to saving this random stranger’s life, maybe she could make an exception. She cursed that her Nexus Trait was not that of a restorative one.

<”I’m sorry mother… I can’t…”>

Channeling her cursed blood, she has come into a decision. Her eyes illuminated in the dark of night, along with her hidden markings, down to her fangs. With a gentle touch, she slowly kissed his neck, letting her fangs sink through his neck.

“Ahhh…”

In an instant, the poor soul’s body trembled in an unparalleled comfort that it was like ecstasy. The bite itself was not painful, but it was akin to an aphrodisiac. He softly gasped in pleasure as Ailana’s fangs finally burrowed deep in his flesh.

This was the Embrace, the ultimate and most sacred gesture of the Cursed Ones. This was also Ailana’s first taste of human flesh and blood. As the blood seeped into her palette, she tasted a very sweet tinge.

Suddenly, Ailana heard a haunting voice within her as she slowly indulged herself upon the deed. She found herself wanting more, it was seductive. The warmth of the blood slowly sliding down her throat was cathartic and was pure unadulterated bliss.

“...! Gah!”

<“No…! No!!! I am to embrace him to save his life! Not to claim it! His life is not mine!”>

Fighting the bestial urge to consume blood, Ailana soon reversed it. Instead of feeding the victim’s blood, she was imparting hers unto his physical body. Her blood began to course through the victim’s veins in an instant.

Upon doing the deed, she forcefully removed her fangs off his neck and let the Embrace’s effect take over. The blood began to slowly repair his injuries, but he still needed medical attention. Ailana does not know yet what was the extent of her Embrace, she then carried him off and take him to the nearest hospital.

\--------------------------------------------------------

Yorktown Medical

“Oh my goodness, my Walty-kins! Who did this to my baby…”

Upon hearing the news, both Walter’s parents immediately rushed to the hospital where he was held. Mrs. Olven was nonetheless shocked by the sight of her own dear son, broken and bloodied that it almost drove her mad. The medical staff were monitoring his condition from here on out.

“By any chance, you are this boy’s parents?”

The doctor approached the couple from across the emergency room with calm composure.

“Yes we are”,

“Is my baby going to be okay?”

Mr. And Mrs. Olven responded promptly, with the latter still have her eyes wet from crying.

“According to our diagnosis, he had sustain multiple bruises and blows that caused the swelling. Although…”

The doctor stopped as he flipped over the recent analysis, in which bemuses even a medical expert like him.

“We have found in our x-ray that he had sustained multiple rib fractures, but upon closer inspection.. they seem to be ‘repairing’ itself. I suspect a healing nexus trait yet we did not find any residual energy that such an ability was used.”,

“So… does that mean our son going to be okay then?”

The doctor’s explanation seemed to went over Mr. Olven’s head, his concern directed at his son’s overall condition.

“I suppose so. But there is still a matter of his spinal column fracture. We may need to operate, or else he’ll live in a wheel chair for the rest of his life.”,

“I-I’ll pay for it! Just--please save my Walty-kins!”

Mrs. Olven still seemed over the edge over her son, she cannot imagine him being able to live as a crippled for the remainder of his lifetime.

“Oh the expenses have been taken care of, I’m just here to confirm it to the patient’s guardians so that we can start right away.”,

“Wha--Yes! Please soon away!”,

“That about settles it, please excuse me while we prepare the operating room.”

The doctor had the couple sign the paper and went to transfer their son to the operating room. The couple seemed flabbergasted that the surgery expenses were already settled, but it was fortunate that there was a kind enough soul to provide for their son. After closing the doors to the operating room, the couple could only wait outside.

“Um… excuse me.”

Soon after, a mysterious persona approached the couple outside the operating room. 

“Are you, by chance, his parents?”,

“And you are?”

As Mr. Olven asked, the anonymous figure removed her hat revealing herself to the couple; both of them were quite surprised as they recognized her face.

“Y-You’re--”,

“I am Ailana Lotton.”

Ailana presented herself as gracefully like it was her natural state. She then told the couple what had transpired beforehand, except for the part where she imparted her blood with Walter’s. Regardless, both of them were truly grateful to her help.

“I see… But is there any way we can repay you, Ms. Ailana?”,

“O-Oh… Ahaha… No need to call me ‘Ms.’, and no need. I’m just happy that to help, it’s a shame I haven’t reached him earlier. I could have saved him to whoever that did this to him.”,

“You have done enough, Ailana. You saved my son from dying on a random street somewhere and brought him back to us. As a mother, I couldn’t asked for anything more.”

Mrs. Olven expressed her heartfelt gratitude towards her son’s savior. Even though she did not caught the ones responsible, she can rest easy that her son was in good hands. It also felt fulfilling to Ailana that she did well for her first act as a superhero exemplar, seeing the happiness that she had brought made it all worthwhile.

For the rest of the evening, the couple and Ailana conversed as Walter’s surgery went through. The operation was a success, though it would be a few weeks for Walter to truly recover. By the time that Ailana left, she pleaded to keep her deed a secret for now in which they agreed.

\-----------------------------------

Yorktown Medical, Walter’s Room

Over the past few days, Walter had been recuperating from his injuries. His operation was a success, but he had difficulty walking straight because of his still-sore muscles but other than that, nothing else of note. The swelling of his face has also been mostly subsided, his optic nerves already mending themselves back, thanks to Ailana’s blood. 

It would take a few more weeks for his sight to come back. Until then, his eyes were bandaged up like a blindfold for hygienic purposes. He would have to deal with being temporarily blind, an uphill slope, but he will pull through.

For the past few days, though he was frequently visited by his parents, Walter was all in his lonesome. And the incident with his childhood friend and sweetheart, Virgilia was still fresh in his mind. Even with bandages over his eyes, he could still feel the warm tears wetting it.

He was broken physically and emotionally, confused to where does he go from here…

“Hello? I-Is someone there?”

Walter called out from the corner of his room, his vision may be impaired but he felt someone was there the whole time.

“It’s okay. I don’t mind company of others.”

He added. After stating his confirmation, she finally stepped forward, Ailana. She was holding Osito, Virgilia’s teddy bear that Walter held when she found him.

After rushing Walter unto the hospital, Ailana took the bear and washed and mended it for him. Not uttering a word, she approached his bed and placed Osito by his side. As soon as she did, he promptly reached for it, much to his surprise.

“Is this… Osito? Oh you found him. Thank you.”

He could only muffle his gratitude, Walter felt like he was about to cry from the sudden rush of emotions. Memories along with bittersweet ones came over him as he brushed his hand over the stuffed animal. The nostalgia and longing cuts deep within him.

As for Ailana, she has been visiting him ever since his successful surgery. Quietly watching him after school, providing him food and gifts. But in actuality, her presence bore more than just common courtesy or sense of duty as a superhero aspirant to the first life she saved.

Ever since her imparting her own vitae to Walter or what they call “The Embrace”, she had been monitoring if he had undergone physical changes. So far it was the immediate effect, which was the accelerated healing, was apparent. It would be the second phase of the Embrace which would determine Walter’s fate.

The Cursed One’s blood chooses its own host, most of the time it is extremely poisonous to humans. The worst it can do was shut down the victim’s nervous system and turn him into what the Cursed Ones call a “Servitor”, or more specifically, a ghoul. These Servitors are mindless agents of the Cursed Ones, doomed to serve their vampire masters like a flesh automaton.

And the last thing would be, if fortunate enough, can turn the victim into a “Neonate”. A lesser tier of the Cursed One, a vampire of a diluted blood. Which would mean Walter would never see the sunlight anymore.

“How are you feeling?”

Ailana finally spoke after days of watching over him. Walter was her burden, whatever happens to him would be her charge as a Noble Kindred to the Cursed Ones. The least she could do was take responsibility.

“I’m… To be honest, I don’t know.”

Walter responded with uncertainty, not because of physical changes but because of his still-present emotional burden.

“But I am grateful nonetheless that I survived.”,

“That’s good to hear but…”,

“Hmm?”,

“Oh no… it’s nothing.”

Ailana wanted to address his words belied the weight of his heart. She could see it in her Empathic ability, unlike any other people she have met. Walter radiates an ominous sadness within him, despite his positive disposition.

“By the way, I feel like I’ve known you for a long time… have we--have we met?”,

“Umm… no. I don’t think so.”,

“Oh. I’m sorry, that was assumptive of me.”

Walter quickly apologized, but he does feel a strange overwhelming familiarity upon her. If he can only see what she looked like, but sadly with his eyes still healing, it would be impossible. In truth, this was also the result of the Embrace, the Blood Bond, causing the victim to feel an unconditional infatuation towards their master.

“Oh sorry… I haven’t also introduced myself haven’t I? My name is Walter, you?”

Walter instinctively reached out his hand as if to shake hands to whoever it was in front of him. Ailana approached him and took his hand, despite his sad burden in his heart, he was still willing to put up a smile for her. She gave his hand a light squeeze and smiled.

“My name is Ai.”


	2. Chapter 2

I have watched over Walter over the following days to monitor his condition…

I acted on an impulse that night---I couldn’t let him die while his heart was screaming to live…

It was a mistake, because I have endangered his life and sealed him into a fate worse than death.

The result of my zeal costed more harm than good, and now I bear the full brunt of the consequences.

Over the following days, I have watched him whilst taking advantage of his temporary blindness to conceal my identity.

It was then… an untold brink of catastrophe dawned upon the mortal coil.

An otherworldly struggle erased from the history of Yorktown Metro Zone.

\------------------------------------

Eva Sanctum, Court of Shadows

The Eva Sanctum, the mecca of the Cursed Ones and their place of worship. These holy grounds were the place of prestigious gathering of the kindred of the night, and can be found all over the world. Once a year, the Elder Council would call upon different clans from their branch to pay their tributes to their charge, the Mantra.

But today was a special occasion, an urgent news came upon the Elder Council that needed to be addressed. Before the triumvirate of high-standing individuals and the clan heads was Lady Aifina of the House of Lotton. A matter of concern that deeply involved both the mother and daughter.

“It is an honor to be representing my clan before you, Elder Council.”

Lady Aifina paid her respect before the three shadowed individuals that sat upon three tall thrones.

“At ease, Ladyship of Lotton. Let us commence the gathering.”

The words were soft-spoken, yet it echoed throughout the massive hall like a might bellow. Showcasing just the gist of their splendor, the Elder Council were the oldest and most powerful of the Cursed Ones. Each of them were only but ten steps closer to the Golden Ancestor, which would make them god-like beings that ruled over the Cursed Ones.

“We are aware that it is not yet the appointed time for our sacred gathering, but this matter is of dire importance.”

One of the shadowed lords began his statement.

“It is with great confidence that we announce our war with the heretical sect of the Cathonian Creed, has finally closed its curtains.”

The moment the council mentioned the Cathonian Creed, the various clan heads present erupted into murmurs.

“Order in the court.”

With one mention of the word, the entire hall immediately fell silent. The Cathonian Creed, once a noble sect of the Regnant of Eve, they have gone rogue during the dark ages of humanity. Denying the reverence of the Golden Ancestor, they sought to use the power of the Mantra to fuel their own personal agendas.

Both secret societies have been at war for thousands of years, fighting tooth and nail against each other. One sought to fully harness the power of the omnitechnology, and the other to guard it away from mortal hands. To say that the thousands of years of war was finally at an end, was very important news indeed.

“Lord Malfeus Corvall, elder of the Cathonian Creed have passed away since last year. We did not conveyed it upon thee because we had to confirm it first, and the possibility of a successor to his malicious legacy. After a year of dormancy, Lord Malfeus’ son, Richter Corvall personally came to us in offer of an eternal truce.”

The Elder Council continued, whilst witnessing the visible surprised expressions of their brethren.

“In addition to the truce, a relinquishment of their recently unearthed Mantra artifact that they have found within the ruins of a divine citadel found at the south pole. A fully-intact Mantra Core.”

The moment they mentioned the said item, the image of it projected before the clan heads. The image of it was something to marvel at, so much so that they stood from their seat to get a closer look at the projection. And once again, the entire sanctum was enveloped in a cacophony of murmurs of disbelief.

“That’s… impossible! We’ve only dug up small fragments of it all over the world!”,

“I agree, the translated tablets of the mythic age chronicles dictates that all were destroyed during in the aftermath of the Original Sin!”

People were expressing their own disbelief and amazement. A single tiny fragment of a Mantra Core already holds energy that was comparable to a tiny sun, that can produce energy enough to power an entire country for more than 500 years. To think an intact one would still exist, one cannot comprehend its potential, immortal or human alike.

“We have already consulted with the Cobweb to confirm if it’s genuine. And we have read the findings and analyses stating the core is in a dormant state. We do not know the means of unlocking its potential, nor do we plan to, because it would be an affront to the Golden Ancestor himself.”,

“In any case, it is paramount that we acquire it immediately for safe-keeping. If even our ancestors were not even capable of grasping its true potential, who knows what would happen if it were to fall into the wrong hands. Such a relic must not be exposed nor be exploited by anyone.”

The council added and indeed they were correct. Even with them guarding its secrets, they were aware that they barely even scratched the surface of the Mantra’s true nature. And the Mantra Core would be an artifact of such mystery and power.

“Umm… If I may speak, Elder Council. How do we know that they are not just baiting us?”

Lady Aifina raised her inquiry before the council, embodying the majority whom have faced the Cathonian Creed.

“We have been deceived many times by Malfeus, even my father, former Elder Council Lord Cornelius Lotton, was deceived and nearly killed in their ruse. Why are they so quick to relinquish such relic of unimaginable power as an offer of truce?”

Majority were nodding heads at each other at Lady Aifina’s question. There was something amiss if the Cathonian Creed themselves were to relinquish such an item instead of using it against them. With the Mantra Core at their grasp, they could have easily used it to crush the Regnant of Eve with relative ease.

“I’m glad that you asked, Ladyship of Lotton. Richter is a child of Malfeus from a member of our England branch. He was forced unto his father’s service during his juvenile days and had his mother excommunicated and bathed under the sun. Until now we are tracing to who might her mother be, so we can honor her properly.”,

“I understand. Dare I ask, what is my purpose before you today, Elder Council?”

Lady Aifina cut to the chase, she was been told that this matter involved her and her daughter, Ailana. As soon as she asked, the Elder Council looked at each other then just nodded in agreement. This could only mean one thing.

“To offer a truce, Lord Richter desired to reintegrate the remnants of the Corvall Clan back into our order. Richter plans to make amends and undo what his father and his predecessors have done.”, 

“And in order for them to join back into the Regnant of Eve--one must be wedded with one of the off-springs of the order. And with the Mantra Core at stake, we have chosen by unanimous decision, the child bereft of the Original Sin’s curse---your daughter.”

The moment the Elder Council stated Lady Aifina’s purpose, her eyes widened and recoiled a few steps back.

“My--my daughter… Ailana… you… You.”

Lady Aifina began trembling, her knees were about to buckle.

“You sold out my daughter.”,

“Ladyship of Lotton, watch your words!”

The Elder Council quickly shushed her down in attempt to coerce her but that would not work, not especially when her precious daughter is involved.

“Don’t even think for a second that we do not know your late husband’s true nature. We have overlooked at that blasphemy for the sake of your father, whom had served and contributed greatly to the order as a former Elder Council!”,

“Wh-What!? How did you---”,

One heavy matter after another, Lady Aifina felt her presence shrink before their statement in which the clan heads erupted into a gossiping lot. She could feel the piercing gazes from her brethren, in their eyes that she disgraced her own order. How did it even came to pass that they knew her husband’s true nature, when she worked so hard to manipulate sources leading to it?

“Hence you shall do as we decreed in return, and without question. We have already bent our tenets for your dying clan.”,

“It is with a heavy heart that it has come to this, but for the sake of the order and the greater benefit of all--we expect you to abide by this.”,

“...So it shall be, your excellencies.”

It was with great reluctance that Lady Aifina was forced to agree. She knew that if revealed, the Elder Council itself would hold her act of disgrace against her. Her violation against the tenets were punishable by death, by not having her husband undergo the Mantra ritual before they said their vows upon each other.

For the remainder of the gathering, Lady Aifina sat alone in her place at by the clan heads and listened to the court hearing. After being exposing her disgrace, she could not even hold her head high as a member of the order. With the entire order and the eternal truce with their once mortal enemies at stake, Lady Aifina has left no choice but to abide.

\-------------------------------

After the gathering with the clan heads finally dismissed, Lady Aifina left the court with a troubled mind. Her mind plagued with the thought of how will she go about telling this matter to her daughter. Lady Aifina was aware of arranged marriages were a custom upon the Regnant of Eve, but she would like to have her daughter the freedom of choice to whom she would offer her heart.

“Excuse, Madam. But are you perhaps… Her Ladyship of Lotton?”,

“Hmm?”

As she was about to exit the premises, she was called upon a rather curious figure. A boy about Ailana’s age, dressed in a formal suit with a heavy coat that hanged upon his shoulders like a cape; he had a hair as white as his complexion, like a ghost that walks upon the mortal coil. Accompanying him was a Servitor Maid of a rather synthetic origin, as Lady Aifina could not sense any life force upon her.

“I was late to the gathering, the sentinels did not let me in when I arrived. A shame really.”

The boy had a rather formal air about him, the pompous kind that is.

“Ah but where are my manners, my name is Richter Corvall, son of the late Malfeus Corvall.”,

“Y-You!? How did you--”,

“I was personally invited by your Elder Council, but sadly… I did not make it. My mistake on my part. Can I interest you of talking in private, your Ladyship?”,

“...It would be an honor, lead the way, Lord Richter.”

Lady Aifina reluctantly agreed. Richter, despite the pompous outlook, seemed prim and proper like a true allegiant of the order, in contrast with Lord Malfeus whom was no less a blood-hungry tyrant. But she could not shake the feeling the dread that hang over him.

\------------------------------

The two went to the vacated corridor of the court, where the entire place was lit by gas torches. It was dim but nothing a cursed one could not handle, as they were accustomed in dwelling upon the pitch black darkness. An informal and sudden meeting, hence Lady Aifina’s guard raised within the duration; the Elder Council may have some praises for him, but he was still Lord Malfeus’ son.

“You may leave us. And prepare the ride back home.”

Dismissing his servitor, Richter and Lady Aifina finally had their discretion to themselves, the atmosphere was strangely heavier than before.

“Well then, your Ladyship, I’m sure that the council already have mentioned my course of action--for the future of my clan. If possible, I want to undo the thousand years of disgrace that the Cathonian Creed has wrought.”

He started as he showcased an archive presentation upon the holo-projector, a compiled video archives of the Cathonian Order’s bloody history.

=============================

I was young when my father dragged me away from my mother’s arms and into his service. I had to undergo reintegration that would no less be called torture. I was helpless to do anything as I saw the lower castes of my clan suffer my father’s wrath on a daily basis. With each victory, defeat, or just on a perverse whim, he would take out his frustrations upon them in the most gruesome manner possible.

And then---after all the death and discrimination, I just decided upon myself that enough was enough. I did not have the same power as my father, but I do have resources. I rallied the lower castes into my cause and created an underground information network. It wasn’t long before we have established a contact with the Regnant of Eve’s own information network.

We would exchange intelligence reports that greatly benefited the Regnant of Eve and the eventual downfall of the Cathonian Creed.

The day that my father died, was the day we took over the Cathonian Creed by force. Without my father, they were weakened, easily fell prey to our sudden uprising. The survivors we either integrated, or excommunicated. It was an unpleasant ordeal, but triumphant nonetheless.

It was then that we decided to lay low for a while, and took our time to reestablish ourselves as a clan. But to do that, we need a Mantra Artifact in our charge since we destroyed the entire vault that my father had. From our sources, we set upon an expedition on Antarctica---right at the heart of the South Pole. There, we have unearthed a sunken ruins of a Divine Citadel. And inside, we found it, an intact Mantra Core---something that we thought to be an impossibility.

=============================

“Do pardon me, Lord Richter but… what does this have to with me present?”,

“O-Oh! A thousand pardons. I just lost myself in story, a habit of mine, my apologies.”

Richter recoiled, flustered that he was at it again with his storytelling, result of his love for theater narration. 

“I am well aware that the Elder Council has already disclosed to you, if I am to reintegrate the House of Corvall.. I am to marry your daughter. As a mother I know that it must be hard for you, but I want you to know, your Ladyship, I bear no ill will to your daughter. My clan has been lead astray for thousands of years, this is the only chance that we have to finally have a purpose for the greater good.”,

“I see… Well then, as her mother, I shall take it unto consideration.”,

“Very well--”,

“But know that the final say is with my daughter. If she does so decline your offer, I will do everything in my power to uphold that decision. Even if it costs me my position within the order and going up against the council itself.”,

“Ulp… Y-Yes of course!”

Richter took two steps back as Lady Aifina projected her dark presence. She may be a Noblesse Oblige by appearance, but she was a clan head for a reason. Lady Aifina was a prodigy of the clan surpassing her father whom was a former member of the Elder Council.

With a blanket of shadows, she faded unto the darkness, leaving Richter in an abrupt manner. She may have been too harsh on him, but such was her overprotective nature with her daughter. She would become a force of nature if needed be to protect her daughter.

“My my… she’s more frightening than I thought. All the more I am interested in meeting Lady Ailana. She would be hard to convince---Elder Council…”

As Richter turned to the shadows behind him, the three ominous figures stepped forth before him. It was none other than as were mentioned, the Elder Council themselves. They were present within the entire duration of their meeting. 

“We sincerely apologize for her behavior… Hundreds of years, still behaving like a delinquent.”,

“Heh heh… Oh don’t worry. I do not mind, what I’m after was her daughter. I can respect a mother’s love, it’s something that even us immortals of the night should also cherish. Now then, let us proceed with the negotiations.”

\--------------------------------------------

Yorktown Medical, Walter’s Room

For the past few days, the two got along with each other. Although Ailana was still adamant about keeping her identity to the temporarily blinded Walter, the latter just went with it. In the former’s case, she was still observing any minor changes to his Blood Bond.

It has been too long since the first change that she feared that it may turn for the worst. It pained Ailana knowing that at this case, Walter may die from blood poisoning. The least she could do was take responsibility for him, and make his last days with a friend.

Other than Ailana and his parents, not one person showed up for a visit. Walter’s incident was all over the school newspaper the past week, even Ms. Celica talked about it. One would think that at least one person that knew him would at least turn up to visit him, right? But none, none at all.

“Aila…”

Walter called as if checking that she was still present.

“Why do you insist on taking care of me? You must have other obligations other than visiting me, right?”,

“Well… I… I just…”

It was a loaded question, Ailana was stuttering to find a proper response. 

“I know what you are, Aila.”,

“...!”

Ailana almost dropped her peeler as she was caught off-guard by that following sentence; Walter said it with such certainty that it almost made her heart stop.

“You’re---”,

“Um…”,

“---A YSU student too. My mother told me. You should be at home doing homework instead of taking your time here.”,

“Ah.. ahahaha… aha…”

Ailana covered her sigh of relief with such an awkward laugh, she thought Walter was aware of her being an immortal being of some sort.

“I’m sorry I’m just causing you this much trouble. But you don’t have to, really.”,

“...”,

“Besides… I’m used to being alone. I don’t know what else is in store for me after my recovery. You know… maybe if I died that night, no one would come looking for me. Maybe---”,

“Now you stop right there, mister Olven!”,

“Uh?”

Walter was startled as he heard her standing up from her chain with a loud bang, he need not see what that entailed.

“You are always talking about being alone and deprecate yourself in a daily basis! Always on your own with no one would care for you. Talking like you’re just an insignificant wretch and feeling like the world would owe you a favor. What about your parents, whom were worried about you and your well-being? What about me--a complete stranger from out of nowhere that saw you that night!? Do you really think people are just going to ignore you and treat you like dirt, huh!?”

This was the first time, Ailana felt furious and Walter was getting the full brunt of it firsthand.

“Hour after hour you wallow in self-pity, instead of thinking what’s best for YOU!!! When I found you at that alley, that rainy night---bloody and broken with your foot in the grave, you were whispering that you want to live! That will and determination---I couldn’t---I just couldn’t---”,

“Aila…”

Walter could hear her increasing sobs in her tone.

“I could feel that fire still struggling to burn alive even in the middle of a storm without shelter. That will to live, hanging by a thread, desperately clinging to life. Only to survive and beat yourself up!? Have at least a bit of respect for yourself! FOR THAT DESIRE TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY THAT I SAW THAT NIGHT!!!”,

“...”

Walter was silent, he could not even form a proper counter-argument to that. She was right, while he could not remember what really happened before Ailana came to his aid, he can still remember in his heart that he was screaming to live. He was just so distraught after that incident with Virgilia, the thought of her now unable to be with him like they were before.

“I’m sorry…”

He grabbed the teddy bear, Osito by his arms and clutched it tight.

“It’s just after what’s happened… I just---I don’t know. All this time… I lived for meeting her again. I worked hard and endured the pain of loneliness. Only to find out that she’s already out of my reach…”

Walter then felt a warm feeling that enveloped his hands, this was the first time that he felt this warmth in a long time, it was almost nostalgic.

“Then if you can’t live for her anymore, why not find another reason? Live for your dreams, for your future… and maybe---”

Ailana gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

“Maybe… for me?”,

“...!”

It was a mere whisper, but it was clear enough to resound in Walter’s mind. He could smell her flowery perfume, he cannot see her, but he can tell that she was close. Walter could just picture a smile before him, and he need not his eyes to see it.

“O-Oh! S-Sorry… I… got… well…”

As soon as she noticed how close she was, Ailana immediately recoiled back a step visibly flustered.

“No… You’re right. I shouldn’t put down myself just because I failed at one thing. Maybe someday I’ll get back to it, but for now… I’m glad that you’re here, Aila. And thank you for saving me.”,

“I just think what I did was right, no one deserved to be in that place.”

Ailana responded with a hint of sadness in her tone. She could tell even with her Empathic ability, that although his mind and body were broken, he was genuinely happy. It will be a matter of time before his eyesight comes back, when that time comes, she would know what would be his ultimate fate.

<”Yes… No one deserves to be abandoned like that. Left to die in an alley. He was my first Embraced, I need to see this through.”>

And so she did, assuming the role of the angel of death. Warm and comforting before his ultimate fate. Ailana wished she could have done different, but at that time, she had no choice.

\----------------------------------------

Lotton Manor, Underground Study

“I’m… I’m getting married?”

Ailana expressed her shock when her mother finally broke the news to her. It had been quite a burden to Lady Aifina, but the sooner that her daughter knew, the sooner that they can settle it. And even though that she strongly opposed the notion of arranged marriages, Lady Aifina values what her daughter had to say.

“Not exactly, my sweet Ailana. Lord Richter would be your betrothed---your would be husband in the near future. He was the sole heir of their rogue sect that once wreaked havoc against our order. But now he wishes to end their bloody history, and reintegrate into our order. In order for that to happen, he needs to wed one member of the Regnant, and the Elder Council chose you.”,

“That’s actually great! Then the order would finally put an end to the war with the Cathonian Creed, yes?”

Ailana was visibly happy by this positive news. Their house might not have been involved in the war like it used to, but it was still quite the unexpected development. While not completely oblivious to it, she was aware of the horrors of the war, and that every battle---every skirmish that the Regnant of Eve had with their opposition, rests the fate of the world itself.

“...”,

“Mother? I-Is it not good news? You have been visibly gloomy ever since you called me here.”

She noticed that despite the positive news that this entailed, Lady Aifina was still bothered.

“Ailana… I want you to know, in all my honesty, I am strongly against it. ‘tis a time where I too had my future arranged for me by your grandfather. That time I declared my stance loud and proud before him, that even Cursed Ones such as us---are free to choose to what path to take and whom to fall in love with.”

The dark mistress held her wedding ring close to her as she reminisced for a bit. 

“That’s when few years later, I met your father. Ah… such a wonderful idiot that man…”,

“Mother? Are you---blushing?”,

“---no.”

Lady Aifina hid her face behind her dress’ collar, clearly flustered. She was always smitten whenever their love story was up for discussion, much to her daughter’s amusement. But regardless, that moment was the first time that Lady Aifina felt that she was alive and human, being loved and loving someone was quite the experience for her.

“Ahem! Back to present!”,

“Hee hee, mother’s dreaming.”,

“Ailana!”,

“Sorry! Hee Hee Hee!”

The mother and daughter got along like siblings, a typical interaction between the two. Lady Aifina with her striking youth would be mistaken for Ailana’s older sibling. Despite being a entity of the eternal night, Lady Aifina was among her kind, the closest to a human in terms of emotion, compassion and humility.

“Despite my strong opposition to arranged marriages, I would like to hear your thoughts and answer on this, Ailana. Know that whatever decision you’ll make, you have your mother beside you.”,

“Even if it meant going up against the world?”,

“Even if the night itself would shun our presence, I know that even the Golden Ancestor himself wouldn’t let this order to be so one-sided.”,

“Mother.”

Ailana smiled warmly at the thought of having her mother as her ally, but such matters should be contemplated and meditated upon. She decided to withheld her decision for now, in order to weigh upon her choices. It may not take long, for the following twilit night, Ailana would meet Richter face to face.

\---------------------------------

Yorktown Medical, Walter’s Room

The following the day, Ailana visited Walter after school. She thought to visit him first before meeting Lord Richter, as for after this visit, she will directly go to the Eva Sanctum for the nuptials. Since none of her friends at school can she talk about it, Ailana thought that she could at least count on Walter.

“O-Oh… Y-You’re getting engaged?”

On the other hand, Walter does not have any experience nor advice to impart regarding this matter. 

“Is it that surprising?”,

“I’m shocked.”

And with good reason too, as no one of present day and age would have their children’s marriage preordained--at least not with the middle class nor common folk. 

“Well, I’m afraid that I don’t have anything to say with it. But…”

Walter crossed his arms, contemplating on his thoughts beforehand.

“You did say that the marriage is for a good cause, right? But if don’t mind me, but I did noticed a bit of a hesitation.”,

“Is it that obvious?”,

“So I was right? It is for a good cause, but is this really what you wanted? Ask yourself: will I be willing to sacrifice my own happiness for the sake of others?”

Walter added, a rather significant question that really struck the chord with Ailana.

“I don’t know much about marriages or what not, but I do know that superheroes sometimes sacrifice everything--even their own happiness so that no one can suffer like they did. One for the sake of many, so they say. But I believe that if the cause is tangible or within your reach and sight, then it is all the more worth betting your own happiness for.”,

“Walter…”,

“I may sound selfish---but even for a good cause, when it comes to love, I believe everyone should have a choice.”

He said it as clear as day and without hesitation. Ailana was surprised that he had said something that even her mother would say to her, and they were right. In the end, it would be her own decision.

“Hero or not, everyone should have the right to choose who they love.”,

“You’re right. Say, Walter…”

Ailana inched closer to him by his bedside and placed her palm over his cold hands.

“When you have your eyes finally healed and your body fully recovered--if you can finally see my face--- can we… can we still see each other and spend some time like this?”,

“I-I… Well if you don’t mind a nobody like me then, why not?”,

“Yes. I really don’t mind, I just--for the short time that I have been here with you. I feel like I can count on you to be there as comfort from my stressful everyday life. It has been too long since I felt this comfortable with someone.”

Ailana said it straight from the heart. It had been only a few weeks, but for that short duration, she found shelter in him. With Walter’s condition, mental and physical improving by the passing days, Ailana was not in it for the responsibility anymore; she really came to like him. Of all the numerous peers she had in school, it was Walter whom she found looking forward to talk to.

“A-Aila… I--well… Heh… thank you. That’s the first time someone said that to me. I’m happy that a nobody like me can make someone like you happy.”

Though flustered, Walter was genuinely touched by her words. And though adamant not to reveal her true name to him, in time, when Walter is out of confinement will Ailana finally tell him the truth. He deserved it, she thought and more than so.

After a few hours of talking and just doing nothing at all, it was finally time. Ailana was still hesitant to go, but she was needed in her nuptials. Every visit felt like it would be the last time that they would see each other, visiting him became quite the daily routine.

“Well it’s time. I have to go now.”,

“Alright, thanks again for visiting me. Tomorrow would be the day I finally remove the bandages, hopefully I can see now by that time.”,

“That is good news, indeed.”,

“Thank you, visit me again tomorrow. I can’t wait to finally rid these bandages.”

Walter said with excitement in his tone, scratching the bandage over his eyes lightly.

“I will, do get plenty of rest, Walter”,

“Bye Aila!”

The two finally parted ways, left with a happy note. As soon as Ailana went out, the transport arranged by the Regnant of Eve was already waiting for her. Walter on the other hand, immediately went to rest, unaware that this would be the last time that they will meet.

\-----------------------

“mmm.. mmh… hhrrrk… argh! Aaaaargh!”

A few hours of serenity, a sudden illness struck Walter. From his legs and arms, he could feel that his veins were burning. The cursed blood that coursed through his entire body began to coagulate and clot. Black veins began to appear through his skin, the feeling of pain as excruciating akin to being strangled and strained. 

“Aarghaarkk!!!”

As a result, he could feel his veins suffocating him from the inside out. This was the dreaded blood poisoning that the cursed blood brought upon him. The pain that would make you scratch out your own eyes, a fate worse than death.

“Oh my goodness, get doctor immediately! We have a situation on patient 717!”

A passing nurse immediately noticed the commotion, it looked like Walter was being possessed. As soon as the nurse called for help, Walter was rushed unto the emergency room. The medical staff immediately contacted his parents about the situation, Mr. and Mrs. Olven immediately rushed over.

\-------------------------------

The Eva Sanctum, Mantra Studies

Later that night, Ailana finally arrived at the order’s sanctum. It was quite a trip, but she understood why. She had been in the service transport for measly 5 hours, as the place itself was in a thoroughly secluded location underground, under the Metro Zone bordering the Yellow Zone.

It had been only her second visit in the sanctum, the first time was back when she was still a toddler. Only this time, she was tasked to go alone as ordered by the Elder Council; her mother reluctantly agreed with the conditions but does not seem like she was going to let her daughter go alone. Even now as she walked through the busy halls of the Sanctum, she could feel her mother’s presence nearby, just beyond her sight.

The moment she walked in, she was instantly a prominent figure among other prominent figures, many people stopping to greet her and honor her presence. Seeing other clans and sects, it was quite a peculiar crowd than what she was used to. Their manners, right down to their slightest gestures were strictly archaic that it was almost alien to her.

Upon arriving at the study, she was finally left alone by the resident servitor. The study was just as spacious as the Grand Hall itself, populated by books and scrolls that almost bore the resemblance of the one at her manor. As she entered, her attention was immediately directed towards the individual at the end of the hall by the great fire place. 

“Ah! Good evening. So you’ve finally arrived. You must be Lady Ailana.”,

“Yes, a pleasant evening to you too, Lord Richter.”

A respectful greeting that begot a respectful greeting, the two went well as if they have met each other before. Richter had a strangely humble presence about him, a true Noblesse Oblige if she ever saw one. He had that appearance that you would normally see in fairy tales as the dashing prince, always on time to save his princess; if Ailana were any other girl, she would have been smitten all over him.

“I must say, at first glance, I thought it was Her Ladyship Aifina whom has come to visit me again. Your resemblance with your mother is quite surprising. Are you sure you aren’t siblings?”,

“Fufu… We do get that a whole lot. My mother said she stopped aging during her 20s.”,

“I say I wouldn’t object at that notion. You really are quite the beauty yourself, Lady Ailana.”,

“O-Oh… You flatter me too much, my lord.”

Ailana always had a soft spot for honest compliments, even with her Empathic ability, she could tell that he truly admired her. 

“If I may, I assume you already know why you were summoned here at the Sanctum?”,

“...Yes.”

There was a hint of hesitance with her response along with her expression, Ailana was still not sure how will Lord Richter respond to it, but regardless, she needed to see this through.

“Call me reserved--but I do not like the notion of having an audience for our nuptials. I prefer… like this, just the two of us.”

Emboldened by her bashful demeanor, Richter approached Ailana to hold her hand. But she could not just let him have his way like that, so she dodged as she stepped back a bit. Richter was unfazed by the gesture but he just let it slide, it would be too much for a first meeting after all.

“I would also assume that you are aware of my clan’s past and my reason of being here at the Sanctum?”,

“Yes, you are the only heir of the late Lord Malfeus. You are here for the sole purpose of a peace accord with the Regnant of Eve, ending the thousands of years of war against it.”,

“You are correct. I am also here to reintegrate my people back into the order, so that I can lead them for a better tomorrow. I do not wish anymore bloodshed, we already have taken and lost too many lives in these pointless battles.”

Lord Richter summed it up for his would-be betrothed, he was visibly disturbed reminiscing back on the events that lead him here.

“I had to make some life-changing decisions, not all of us shared the same sentiment back in the Cathonian Creed. We had to rise up against the noble castes--Lord Malfeus’ loyalists of my clan. Regardless to say--it was quite the bloody ordeal that we had to go through… but in order for us to realize our dream of reuniting back at the Regnant, we need to take their lives. A choice that I did not want to take, yet the only path that has been laid out for me.”,

“Lord Richter…”

Ailana sympathized with him, it must have been quite a shock for him to resort to a bloody solution. Swallowing the heavy emotion of that tragedy, he once again approached Ailana and took her hand. The latter was surprised how warm his touch was, it felt like Lord Richter himself was more human than a Cursed One nor immortal.

“Lady--no, Ailana. In order for my people to finally be welcomed back, I would need to wed someone from the order. And I choose you, Ailana.”,

“...!”,

“Forget about the past, this isn’t about both opposing sides nor tradition--nor clans or sects. I’m asking you with all the humanity in me, please take my hand. There will be no Clan Corvall, nor House of Lotton. Just us, we can create the future of the order itself.”,

“Lord Richter… I…”

Ailana was moved by his heartfelt words. She was told that his father was a blood-hungry tyrant, but seeing him and being with him, Ailana knew that Richter was a completely different person. It was then that she finally made up her mind and heart, that she was proud to face it.

“I… respectfully decline.”

She said it loud and clear, she was never been this sure.

“I admire your vision, Lord Richter. You have been through so much to undo the sins of your father, just like what we are doing now in the name of the Golden Ancestor. I would follow you to your cause and see it realize---but not as your betrothed. As noble as your goals, I am not worthy to stand by you as your equal. I apologize, once again, I would have to decline.”,

“I--I see…”

Lord Richter was visibly surprised by her answer, it was most unexpected indeed.

“I understand, Lady Ailana.”,

“Thank you Lord Richter, for your---”,

“I understand that even you are unaware.”,

“...!”

Ailana was suddenly struck by an unnatural chill from her back. Richter’s presence may be still the same, but something was amiss. She could feel the growing pressure just being in front of him, but her Empathic ability tells her that he was no threat.

“Like I said, this isn’t about the order traditions, rituals nor clans nor sects--that’s because I now control the Regnant of Eve itself. No more bloodshed, no more wars, just us immortals and our grand destiny.”,

“Wh-What?”,

“Oh didn’t you know? I am the child of the prophecy, I am the supposed ruler to lead the Regnant of Eve into the future.”,

“But… I thought I was the one in the prophecy.”,

“Oh pardon me. You are the first one in a millennia to walk under the sun, you’re a Daywalker--a blessed one. In your veins coursed the blood of a Cursed One and a Novus. With your power we can bridge the gap between us Cursed--no… Immortals and Novus. You are that living testament to that dream, Ailana.”

The masquerade was finally off, Lord Richter was finally showcasing his true nature upon the hapless girl; which would mean Ailana’s life was in deep peril with each passing moment.

“Who do you think you are--speaking so highly as if you own everything?!”,

“Weren’t you listening--my dear?”,

“Arghkkk---!!!”

Ailana suddenly felt an unseen force grab her by the neck, slowly lifting her up in mid-air. As Lord Richter turned around, from his chest embedded the Mantra Core itself with his armor forming around it. The core becoming one with him, granting him virtually all the powers of a Divine being or a Celestial.

She then noticed the surroundings becoming distorted and warped, as if the reality itself cannot contain the power of the artifact. This overwhelming power felt like it was going to crush her from the inside out, Ailana could not even look at it directly. It was like the sun itself was in front of her.

“--I am the Mantra’s chosen. The Mantra Core has chosen me to be its master. Something that even our ancestors failed to do! Now that I have finally claimed its true potential, I can finally realize ourl goal of the Original Sin!”,

“Hrrrkk…! But what about---the humans. At what cost do you plan to escalate this!?”,

“They shall submit, it’s their only choice. No more bloodshed, no more wars, we are united under one rule. From tomorrow unto the next, we shall claim our ascent to becoming gods like we were meant to---ages long past. This is our destiny.”

As the ascended Richter floated towards Ailana, she saw the Elder Council and various clan heads walking to his side. It would seem that this was his plan all along, to control the Regnant of Eve from within. Harnessing the full power of the Mantra Core, there was no discrediting that Lord Richter himself was the chosen one of the Mantra.

He need not to force his way in, the moment the Elder Council witnessed his power they became subservient willingly. Richter has made them realize that safeguarding the Mantra was pointless, thus, he has led them all astray from the path of the Golden Ancestor--as the same with people of the Cathonian Creed. With the Cursed Ones, now call themselves as True Immortals, united under one ruler, they need not to fear the sun ever again.

“What did I say, Lord Richter?”,

“...!”

Before Richter could say any more, a mass of black miasma engulfed the entire microcosm that he created. The miasma covered the entirety in mere seconds, then from the thick black fog, numerous black craggy spikes jutted out of the ground. The attack took out a considerable number of the opposition, and even managed to impale both Richter’s legs.

“Whatever my daughter wishes, I shall stand by it with all that I am. Even if it meant opposing the order itself!”

“Gah… mo--mother!”,

“Ailana dear, quickly get up.”

As soon as Richter loosened his telekinetic hold on Ailana, Lady Aifina quickly emerged from the shadows and to her daughter’s side.

“Lady Aifina… Shadow Thaumaturgy? Really? Do you really hope to oppose a god with such child’s play?”

With the wave of his hand, Richter easily shattered the spikes and quickly regenerated his crushed limbs, as if it was nothing at all.

“Don’t underestimate me, brat!”

Focusing her shadow magic, Lady Aifina raised her hand and manipulated the fragments of the shattered spikes that once held Richter down. 

“...Guh!”

The fragments turned into needles that stabbed him from every inch of his body. Lady Aifina raised her hand once again and materialized a large monolith-like construct behind him. The construct then opened its cavity, revealing a case full of more spikes.

Fate of Insufferable Death, Shadow of the Maiden

The monolith-like coffin closed in on him and shut him inside, whilst covering it with numerous chains. A middle-tier shadow magic with reinforced seals, something that only Lady Aifina would come up with. She was looking forward in using it again, she was quite the formidable mage in the entire order.

“That won’t hold him for long, let’s go Ailana!”,

“Y-Yes!”

The mother and daughter hurriedly ran towards the end of the hall, with Lady Aifina’s powers, she easily created a rip in the microcosm that served as their escape route. 

“Mother!”

Ailana shouted as they spotted a large crowd of pursuers coming from both sides, they were planning to surround them.

“Haah!”

Channeling dark energy from both her palms, Lady Aifina slammed both her hands to the ground, enlarging her own shadow entrapping all of their pursuers in a boundary field. From it, she easily created a Realitycraft in mere blink an eye; a Realitycraft being a projected boundary field, a world projected and manifested from one’s presence, in other words a pocket reality or microcosm. To create one, one must be a master of any Thaumaturgical Discipline and creating one would take hours---Lady Aifina created one in mere seconds.

The Fortress of Execution, Kazikli!

By her will, Lady Aifina summoned multiple spears that jutted out from all directions. This deadly technique does not impale her victims physically, but it targets the soul itself. And to use it at such magnitude would mean she can destroy the opposition’s soul itself.

With a wave of her hand, she then collapsed her Realitycraft and all of their pursuers just fell on the floor with their bodies discolored into monochrome. Not a trace of life nor un-life would be waiting for them. Lady Aifina may be a prim and proper lady on the outside, but her being a prodigy of the Shadow Thaumaturgy, she may be the closest of being the Grim Reaper herself.

“Mother, look out!”,

“...!”

As they proceed to the exit, suddenly from above, a couple of pursuers managed to shadow them along the way; such was the specialty of some clans of the Regnant of Eve.

“Eeey!”

Using her Nexus Trait, Ailana summoned her Nex Arm, the Neon Orb. From the orb, she spun a long neon whip that she used to entangle the pursuer in front of them. With her strength, she then hurled him unto the incoming crowd behind.

“My turn.”

Ailana’s eyes illuminated into a rose-colored glow accompanied by her sclera turning black with pink circuit veins, which would mean she was manifesting both the Kindred’s Vein and the Nexus Trait at the same time.

“Haah!”

From her Neon Orb, she drew out a light whip but this time with a spear-tip. Then with a flick of her wrist, she drew the whip and the spear tip traveled in vectors in the speed of light. The spear tip impaled everyone within the a hundred meter range, paralyzing them without even knowing.

“Cease.”

With a mere whisper, she withdrew the light whip back and everyone that has been impaled by it erupted into a bloody mess, much to the surprise of Ailana’s mother. It was so fast that even Lady Aifina was caught off-guard by the speed and its resulting damage. It would seem that the light whip itself instantly boiled the very blood of its victims into an accelerated rate that they exploded without a trace.

“There’s a car waiting for us outside, I had our Servant Corps secure the exit.”,

“Right!”,

“Oh and… Ailana.”,

“Mother?”

As they ran towards the exit battling pursuers and roadblocks, Lady Aifina still managed to give her daughter a positive expression.

“I know I shouldn’t have eavesdropped during your conversation, but what you said before Richter revealed his true colors---I’m very proud of you.”,

“Mother…”,

“You know, I don’t say this often. But I feel it’s just right, I’m sure your father would have been proud too.”,

“Yes, I wish I could have met him just once.”,

“I’m sure he doesn’t want his daughter to join him in the afterlife so early, let’s go Ailana.”,

“Mm!”

Hand-in-hand and back-to-back, the mother and daughter talked as equals, both carrying themselves up until the the Sanctum’s courtyard where their way out was waiting for them. Hurriedly, the two finally got into the car with Darcy and the other servants were just waiting. From that moment on, the House of Lotton was officially declared as traitors of the Regnant of Eve.

\-------------------------------------

Meanwhile just a few moments after the mother and daughter made their escape, with the power of the Mantra Core, Richter broke free of the shadow construct by shattering it. He was a bloody mess as he got out but the core itself managed to heal his fatal wounds at an accelerated rate. He just dusted his torn sleeves as if nothing happened, wearing only an expression of dissatisfaction.

“Lord Richter, the Lottons escaped! We tried to surround them, but Lady Aifina and her daughter were just too formidable.”

Before him appeared the former Elder Council, now reduced to being mere lackeys and willingly so. It would seem that the order itself would willingly follow a being of a higher power, as they have been waiting for so long. Since Richter was the first among them to truly realize the Mantra Core, they have discarded the teachings of the Golden Ancestor just as easily.

“It’s fine. Do not bother too much with them. We shall proceed as planned. Gather the clan heads and the survivors to the Grand Hall. For tomorrow, we claim the sun!”

He rightfully declared and his minions responded with haste. Almost half of the order has been decimated by the wake of Lady Aifina and Ailana’s escape, but thankfully they still have the clans to be summoned. All of them, every clan native to the United States of America--in all corners of the country gathered before Richter; all of them were cheering his name and the impending glory he has for the order.

With the clans before him, Richter summoned all of the Mantra Core’s power and presented it to them. It manifested like a giant ball of pure light, like a sun in the palm of his hand. Nonetheless, the majority only gasped in awe to the true power of the artifact.

Then without warning, spears of light suddenly shot out of the ball of energy. All of were present were subjected to such manifestation, possessing each and every one of them. With the power of the Mantra Core, all of their latent powers unlocked and the curse of the Original Sin that was laid upon them by the divine beings lifted.

The power of the artifact heavily augmented their powers, marking them as the true children of the Mantra. They were the Cursed Ones no more, for at that moment, they were the True Immortals. They were one step away from fulfilling their ultimate goal, and they have been never been this close for all these millennia.

“Raise your heads, children of the sun! Long has this right kept from us by the divine beings, now at long last finally in our hands--the true power of the Mantra! Now all that is left is our very own Divine Citadel… Go! Drive both humans and nova back! Let none stop you, for before this day sets, our Divine Citadel shall be the beacon of supremacy over heaven! Our grand destiny awaits!!!”

Standing above all of them, Richter has finally ascended into a divine being, an entity to rival a Celestial. With his overwhelming presence, he mobilized his army to march forth towards the world above. Yorktown Metro Zone was about to experience a hostile campaign, as dark clouds loom overhead with the sun no longer in sight…

\---------------------------------------

Yorktown Metro Zone

“Mother I have to go check up on something.”

As soon as they arrived at the Lotton Manor’s entrance, Ailana hurriedly got out of the car with a strong sense of urgency in her tone.

“But, dear we need to flee this Metro Zone before they follow us.”,

“I know! But--this is important, I’ll be back shortly.”,

“...alright. But take heed of the skies, my dear. This is an unnatural storm, something massive is coming. Go! I’ll come find you.”

Lady Aifina just gave up on convincing her daughter and let her attend to whatever it was she needed to attend to. She knew her so well with that look in her eyes, it must have been a matter of life and death. Regardless, Lady Aifina’s later warning about something coming was not off the mark; for at the horizon, a horde was marching for war against an unsuspecting city.

Ailana hurriedly ran as she got her mother’s approval, she disregarded her warning for bit to focus on what was more important. Earlier, she received multiple emails on her Holo-Messenger about Walter’s condition. It would seem that her worst fears were finally realized, and it came at the worst time possible.

“Walter… please… live… What have I done?”

She whispered to herself as she ran, tears rolling down her cheeks and her heart heavy with guilt.

“...!”

Ailana suddenly stopped as she felt a number of powerful presences, thousands of them heading towards the Metro Zone like an impending storm. The sea border, the Yellow Zone border, from all sides, the immortals charged in without warning. The moment they entered Yorktown, the tide of onslaught has begun.

“Everyone to the safe zones! Evacuate! Evacuate!”

The authorities were scrambling to get the people to flee the inexorable skirmish, but to an almost futile attempt. The Nova and Superheroes were quick to respond, but the Immortals were simply too much for them to make a stand. They were either being driven back or killed, the assault put the entire city under code red.

“How are they even… the sun has already risen! Unless… Oh no…”

As soon as Ailana came to a realization, she hurriedly ran towards her destination.

“Hey! The safe zone’s this way! Don’t go there!”

The authorities cried out in frustration, but AIlana just simply passed them, ignoring their warning. 

“Walter!”

She repeatedly called as she jumped over the barricades, not too far from where the golden army of immortals were marching in.

\---------------------------------------

Yorktown Medical

Sirens blared through the halls of the hospital as the staff hurriedly gathered the patients and attendees to be transported into the safe zone. The wave of onslaught has already reached the Yorktown State University, it would be only a matter of time before the immortals arrive. And from their attacks, none shall be spared.

Walter, on the other hand, was still unconscious inside the Intensive Care Unit and still suffering the full brunt of his blood poisoning. Walter’s parents were already forcibly sent away for evacuation, as their son’s transfer would take some time; as per his condition, he must be handled with the utmost care. But unfortunately, time was not even a luxury to the poor boy.

“AAAHHH!!!”

The staff were just about to move him when suddenly the room was engulfed in a violent explosion. The impact also threw Walter’s unconscious body to the wall. From the debris, walked the two immortals that finished off the two surviving victims of the attack.

“This is it… This is where I sensed the blood.”

One of the Mantra-clad immortals spoke as he surveyed the ruined room.

“I think this is the one. Hmph!”

The immortals did not even have a shred of decency for the injured, as the second immortal just kicked the dying Walter near his comrade.

“Disgusting, a failed Servitor. The thing is already suffering from blood poison judging from his clotted veins. What a waste of time, just kill him and let’s get back to the main group.”

The immortal scoffed as he stood up and set up to find their way back to their legion. But instead of getting to the task at hand, the other immortal stood silent and did not even budged an inch. The immortal glanced over to his comrade and immediately noticed it.

“Didn’t I made myself clear? I said kill--”

Before he even finished his complaint, the immortal tripped over a neon thread causing the chain reaction--a trap. Several neon threads revealed themselves to be sewn across the room, a split second was all it took, and both immortals were reduced into dust. From the dust, a figure appeared clad in white armor with glowing neon pink pieces as she retract the neon threads back to her knuckles.

“Walter!”

It was none other than Ailana herself, clad in her full Nex Frame or Superhero form. She immediately rushed over to him and checked his current condition. Walter was hyperventilating with veins littered all over his body, he was in deep agony.

“Oh Walter… I’m so sorry I’ve done this to you. I know I shouldn’t have done it… but… I couldn’t--I couldn’t let you go. I want to spend more time with you, I want to know you more…”

Ailana just broke down before him and cried, she was all out of options. The only way to release him from this deep agony was death. Once an aspiring Servitor’s body fails to adapt the cursed blood within them, there was no other way but to release them from this hellish suffering.

“I knew when I met you… I could never replace the girl in your heart. But I still hoped---hoped that after all this that maybe--just maybe I could be the one. I love you Walter and it hurts me inside to cause you all this pain.”,

“If you really did love him, then you should know what to do.”,

“...!”,

As Ailana was grieving, she heard an ominous voice from behind her. As soon as she turned to face it, she immediately recognized who it was. Now donning a full Mantra regalia, he was now more like a living god than a Cursed One.

“In his state, you only have two choices. Either kill him now to release him from this ordeal or let his body cave in to the pain and slowly just die from it.”,

“Richter!”,

“Spare me the astonishment, Ailana, I have no need of it. Though it was my intention to catch you off-guard, instead I was the one to do so. Irony.”,

“How did you---”,

“--find you? Well it’s easy when you finally wield all the power in the world. I can be anywhere and everywhere that I want, and a strong presence like you is easy to find with but a mere thought.”,

“You’ve used the Regnant of Eve to build your army and storm over the city. I will not let you go any further--”,

“Or what? You’re going to fight me, girl?”,

“If I must, because this world has everything worth fighting for!”

Arming herself, Ailana charged at Richter with all she had. It was certainly a futile attempt, but an absolute delight when it unfolds before the latter. The impact almost instantly leveled the entire building as the battle commenced.

\------------------------------------------

Yorktown State University

The former Elder Council arrived at the premises of the most prestigious school in the Metro Zone and the country itself. Now armed with the blessing of the Mantra, the three can now roam freely under the sun without suffering the curse of the Original Sin. They have arrived at the troublesome report that the school itself was holding its ground.

“Elders!”

One of the immortals arrived to greet them, though bereft of their position as Council, they were still referred to as ‘Elders’ by the lower castes.

“Speak!”,

“What is taking so long to take over this point?! Lord Richter’s patience is at a limit!”

The elders immediately scolded the neonate before them.

“F-Forgive me. It’s just that we couldn’t surround the entire place. We were being decimated by droves at key points of the entire institution. The place itself is like a defensible fortress! One of such our men referred to them as the ‘Delinquent Club’.”

The neonate responded, desperation was in his tone. A sense of urgency that if this kept up, they would end up using the bulk of the army before any superhero team arrives with reinforcements. If that happens, the tables will turn on them and guaranteeing them a result of a crushing defeat.

“Heh, ‘Delinquent Club’.”,

“You are being decimated by juvenile delinquent nova? Such shame on your clan!”,

“Very well, we shall see to this matter ourselves. Lord Richter was strict in his orders that today would be the day to realize our dream. We shall tarry no further, I’ll take on the gates the rest of you two on the key points. Rally our brethren along the way if possible.”

While the two mocked and scold, the third took the lead and ordered his fellow Elders to take over the points. With that, the three Elders separated casually floating in mid-air, flaunting the grandeur of the Mantra. Along the way, they also split their forces, taking considerable numbers to form their ranks.

\------  
Yorktown State University, The Gates

Upon arriving, before the Elder with his army of immortals presented a ruined area full of debris and collapsed infrastructure that used to be the entrance courtyard and halls of the YSU. The entire area was eerily silent that you can hear the sound of your heartbeat and the breeze that blew past the cloud of dust. The area has been evacuated already, only the contenders were present.

“...!”

All of a sudden from the distance, five lifeless bodies of immortals were flung to their directions. Clashing through the ruined buildings like they have been mangled by a wild beast, their bodies immediately turn to dust as they fell to the ground. The sixth one fell before the Elder himself, an opportune moment for him to observe the lifeless casualty.

“Hmmm…”

The body was riddled with scorch marks and soot; most notably parts of their bodies were either ripped apart or just left a gaping hole.

“...!”

The army that accompanied the Elder was taken aback as they sensed a powerful and violent presence ahead. With a strong physique, and a flaming red hair that highlighted her visage; a pair of wide-open red eyes and scars that glow and emit tremendous heat like an iron furnace. It was no ordinary Novus nor superhero, it was like fury incarnate.

“Grrr…”

The beastly sihouette growled like lion about to pounce on her prey. This unknown novus exuded with a powerful and fearsome presence that echoed throughout the area. All except the Elder trembled in fear.

“Hmph… Nothing but a wild beast, dispose---!”

Before he could hold up his bravado he felt a breeze passed him followed by a massive crash behind. The unknown novus immediately rampaged through his ranks, zipping through from one point to another. With her ungodly speed and ferocity, she tore through them like a herd of cattle in a lion’s cage.

“Incompetent fools! Surround her!”

Furious, he yelled at his men for their lack of initiative and letting them be overwhelmed like this. The moment the rampaging novus stopped, the remaining ranks altogether formed up and jumped on her. They continued until they practically now piled on their opponent. 

“Grrr---RRRRRAAAAAAAGGGHHHHH!!!”,

“Argh!”

Like a living bomb, the novus’ Nexus energy exploded with a fiery force akin to a high-yield bomb or a megaton TNT, taking out everyone in a massive blast radius. The impact of the explosion even sent the elder flying back. This was the raw power of the unknown novus, her Nexus Energy burns hot like magma.

“This cannot be. We are--being defeated? But we have the Mantra! The Nexus is nothing compared to it--…! Uuuargh!!!”

Again, before he could rave about the ugly reality before him, his opponent’s fist was already about to crash on his face. The punch connected, unleashing a fiery impact that sent the elder flying through the debris. He simply could not believe his eyes that they were being thrown around just as easily like this.

“...!?”

Just as she was about to finish the elder off, the unknown novus was struck down by a pillar of light. The beam of light brought her down to her knees, but soon, four more appeared and all five of them focused on one point. Eventually she was on all fours, struggling to even get up as if gravity itself was anchoring her to the ground.

“You… You will humiliate me--no longer! Let me show you the true power of the Immortal blood!”

The Elder emerged from the debris now all bloodied and none of the composure earlier present. With his power, he kept the fool who dared to oppose them pinned down. Even with him giving it all to pin her down, the elder felt the pressure gradually growing strong--he must finish this before she could recover.

“Now to finish you off.”

Creating a Realitycraft, the elder immortal projected his presence and sent his opponent and himself to a void of nothingness. Upon creation, he proceeds to magnify the beams’ focal points, enlarging it to a colossal scale which he then slowly close up. If he manages to close in the focal points, he can obliterate his opponent into non-existence, but there was one problem…

“Rrrgh! Why doesn’t it---budge!”

He could feel the pressure fighting his grip that he felt his fingers would rip apart if he forces it any further. 

“Ah...!”

An audible gasp escaped his breath as he noticed something massive just above him.

“I-Is that---the sun!?!?”

A colossal fireball akin to a heavenly body was hovering above him. Much to the elder’s disbelief, he mistaken it for the sun itself. It was so massive in scale that he felt like an ant before the flaming sphere. 

“Y-You!?”

It was too late when he realized that the abnormal event was the novus’ doing. She was actually absorbing the beams’ energy then channeling it into what looked like a manifestation of the sun itself. Shattering the focal points with a powerful fiery burst, she raised her hand and let the massive ball of flame land on her palm.

The ball of fire shrank and shrank, with the novus actually condensing its power. As it reached the size of a marble, the novus clasped it and channeled its raw power unto her single fist. Her entire right arm illuminated with a blinding hot radiance as she clenched her fist.

As she did, she felt a fire light inside her, akin to an counter-measure of her own power. A surge of power coursed through her veins, augmenting her even further that she felt like it was about overflow from her body. She was confused, but just accepted it as it was more than what she can bargain for.

“Oooooaaaaargh!”

IGNIA LA FURIA!

Slamming her fist downwards then arcing into an uppercut, she flooded the area with crystallized flames in a wide radius. The crystallized flames instantly surrounded her opponent, trapping him by surrounding him with high density crag formation. With this, she basically took over the entire sub-reality by asserting her power over the master.

“This cannot be--we are immortaaaa---!”

Before he could finish his last words, the novus passed through his crystal prison with her fist, detonating crystallized flames with a yield that can level a mountain; finally vanquishing the immortal for good. The Realitycraft shattered, with nothing left but the beastly novus herself, standing triumphant. She then rearranged her right arm back into its socket, a result of her overdoing her last attack.

The unknown novus, finally eased up her stance with her excess energy dissipating like steam. She was back into her old self, it was none other than the president of the Delinquent Club herself. While the battle itself took a bit from her, her composure seemed still ironclad.

““Boss!””

Her two Alphas or lieutenants, Hernan and Axe emerged from the distance, with the students in their charge safe and sound.

“Sorry that took a bit too long, but nothing I can’t handle. What’s the status on the other squads?”,

“The Pre-School division and majority of the Middle School has been all gathered and being evacuated to the safe areas. But we still haven’t found anything from the High School division.”

Axe stated his report, visibly worried about the other squads whom have not yet checked in.

“There are reports of enemies taking the western route, if it’s true then we’re spread thin.”,

“Hmm…”

Virgilia looked like she was spacing out, but just now, she sensed a sudden change in the wind.

“Boss?”,

“Alright! Gather up the survivors that we have here in the Middle School division. We’re getting out of here.”,

“What? But if we leave now---”,

“They’re coming.”,

“Huh? Who’re comin---”,

“Just move it! Call our boys back from the High School division and secure all safe passages on the western route, go!”,

“Y-Yes boss!”

Axe was coerced before he can query what his leader has said. From Virgilia’s expression, she was visibly positive about that phrase. Whatever it was that she sensed in the air, she knew that they were in good hands because the two of them are coming to aid the other survivors.

“W-Was she always that powerful?”

One of the survivors raised a question to Axe as he finished gathering the students.

“Who boss? Eh… Pretty much, we’re talking about the gal who single-handed beat the former ranks of the club.”,

“Wow…”,

“One thing’s for certain. Her fury is nothing to laugh at! And that’s our boss!”

Axe declared as they made their way towards the escape route, loud and proud to have someone like Virgilia as a leader.

\----  
Yorktown State University, Western Route

The western route of the YSU, apart from the gates, this point of interest is the largest opening of the entire premises. One of the elder immortals and his ranks immediately stormed in to secure the place, it would be a critical choke point to any intruder from the outside. The legion of immortals moved as swiftly and effectively, as expected with their milestone of knowledge of warfare.

But as soon as they populated the area, one by one, they were snuffed out by an unseen onslaught. They were being picked by some unseen assailant that moved at the speed of light, not even their hundreds of years of experience could have prepared them for this. Before they were reduced to dust, the elder noticed that the victims were cut down by a blade so sharp that it can cut through even with their Mantra Armor.

“...”

And just like that, it was over in a blink of an eye with the elder was all that was left with the perpetrator out in the open. This unknown novus had a rather short yet lean build, a girl wielding an eastern sword. Unseen onlookers from a nearby building peered out of the window, basically survivors whom were trapped by the immortals’ encirclement of the area.

“Who is that?”,

“I don’t know, I couldn’t see through the dust.”,

“I couldn’t make her out from here, but I think she’s the transfer student from Japan.”

The curious yet hidden onlookers began murmuring speculations about the identity of the girl. 

“Taking out my army with a blink of an eye. Impressive even for a Novus.”

The elder spoke his amazement upon such a feat, with speed like hers, she was so fast that she can overwhelm an entire legion of them.

“--but don’t even think for a second that speed alone can--…!”

Before he can even breathe his next word, the unknown novus was already behind him with just a mere blink of an eye. With her sword ready and already in her Nex Frame or in her Superhero form, she kicked the elder right at the back of his hip, sending him flying out the premise. The impact of the attack was powerful enough to cave through the concrete ground in a wide swath.

“...”

With her face and majority of her form still obscured by the dust cloud, she looked up to where the hidden onlookers were and just gave them a two-finger salute.

“Oooh… So she’s a superhero, huh?”,

“But I couldn’t see her form! But I noticed the height difference. She was short then got taller when she transformed! And we didn’t even see her do it!”

The onlookers’ murmuring just got a bit more boisterous, but they were finally safe nonetheless. With a step of her metal landing, the unknown novus sped towards the point of impact where she lead her opponent to. She followed the path of destruction that lead all the way out of the Western Route.

“...!”

As soon as she noticed that the trail went to an abrupt stop, she sensed an immediate threat approaching behind her fast. She flipped to the side, evading an incoming bolt of energy from behind. As she looked up, the elder was there, afloat in mid-air wielding a Mantra weapon, a staff of light.

“Fool, don’t think you’ll do the same thing--TWICE!”

With strike of his staff, the elder summoned two floating orbs by his side. By his will, the two floating orbs of light fired a rapid volley of light projectiles at their target. It did not helped that the projectiles traveled in random vectors, making it almost impossible for the novus to predict its movements.

“... …”

The novus whispered an inaudible phrase, an activation code for her Nexus Trait. In an instant, her sword was enveloped with a velvet glow, reinforcing its edge. With a swing of her blade, she deflected the beam; with hands as fast as lightning, she deflected each projectile from the barrage whilst perceiving each of the projectile’s vector path and trajectory.

The swaths of destruction continue to grow as their battlefield continue to expand further. Still as of now, the novus has been in defense. She needed a plan to get close to her enemy, or she will wear herself out.

“Pass into the light of judgment!”

With his words, the two orbs beside the elder transformed into golden rings. The golden rings then fired an wide arced, omni-directional barrage of projectiles and increased its firepower by tenfold. This time the barrage will come from every direction that even with such speed would not be able to keep up. 

“...!”

Slamming her palm to the ground, the novus channeled as much power as she can muster. From beneath her, manifested a glowing neon square plane akin to a magic circle. With it, her form was then equipped with additional armor and a pair of metal wing-like pinions. At long last, finally manifesting her true Nexus Form.

“... …”

Time was slowed down during its process, but not enough to buy time and ascertain the incoming attack. With no margin to exploit, the novus needs to do more. Concentrating her will, she reinforced her stance slowly waving her sword clockwise as the glowing plane grew brighter beneath her. 

[Hi no Kami Technique]  
Moonlit Haze - Formless Plane

As she opened her eyes, the time flowed normally again and all of the projectiles landed on her with explosive impact. 

“Hmph… That’s---w-what!?”

As he was about to scoff at his earned victory, the elder’s expression quickly turned sour with disbelief to see that his opponent was still standing.

“...”

The novus projected her presence with her form donning eight spectral arms like a mythical Bodhisattva, a deity of many arms. When in truth, the extra arms themselves were projected and manifested by combining four of her spiritual states together. All of these limbs were equipped with the same blade replicas that she wielded.

Using her projected arms, she was able to deflect every projectile by tracing each and every one of its vectors. The result, she was able to come out of it unscathed, much to the elder’s disbelief. The novus then slowly shifted into stance with her mesmerizing arm movements, it was like a soothing flow of a calm stream, with her spirit arms mimicking her arm movements.

“Rrrgh! That does it! Then this entire sector burns! The Mantra shall not be defeated so cheaply like this!!!”

There was clearly frustration, disgruntlement and gritting in his tone. Mustering every ounce of power left from his Mantra artifact, he slammed the staff to the ground causing the entire earth to shake. The very power of the Mantra coursed through underground, causing the very ground they stood on began to form towering crags

“...”

But the novus remained unfazed, she was more focused than ever. As she opened her eyes, her consciousness can now perceive everything in an accelerated time. Merging all four states of spirituality within her, the spirit arms re-merging with hers.

“Haaa…”

With a soft exhale, her weapon took shape in a form of sword made of light. As the ground she stepped on rose from her opponent’s doing, she took her time to ascertain her target. Covering every possible angle and every possible opening, perceiving the lines of reality itself.

“Behold, the true destru---ah!”

Before he could complete the first phase of his final attack, with a blink of an eye, he noticed his opponent disappeared before him with only a bright velvet trail. The trail that would pass through him as he slowly turned his head around. And at the end of the bright velvet trail of light, there she was, the novus with a graceful final pose of her sword.

“Ah---ahhh…..!!!”

The elder could only yell in shock as he saw his hands, his torso and even the reality itself that surround him be cut into multiple pieces. The cut reality began sewing itself together with him being recognized as an irregularity. As the reality around him mend, his existence itself was discarded, thus, erased, destroyed and cut.

[Hi no Kami Style]  
The Sword that Cleaves through Light and Darkness

The novus finished it off as she slowly sheathed back her sword whilst she revert back into her normal size and self. Her transformation did accelerated her growth into a mature woman, but whenever she turns back, she was reverted back into her rather petite frame. Her purple hair swayed through the breeze as she rested her wooden sword upon her shoulders.

“Whew… I hope Vee-chan made it safely.”

She sighed finally revealing her identity, as Kurome Hinokami. 

“To think the enemy is versed in the forbidden technology… this is quite troubling.”

Prior to this, she was called by Virgilia for her aid despite her reluctance to come out of her room. Kurome still had second thoughts coming out after the tragic incident with Nanami, she was seldom seen in school and avoids any social interaction other than Virgilia herself. But now, she was more than convinced otherwise, that there were threats like these that only them can handle.

“I need to face the consequences sooner or later… Like onii-sama always say, redemption can always start with selflessness. And that’s what I intend to do! No more locking myself away! Yosh! I shall lead by example and be the hero everyone should aspire to be!”

Kurome beat her chest and held her head up high as she declared her ultimatum to herself. Donning the visage of the goddess of war, standing triumphant upon her enemies whilst pointing her sword unto a better tomorrow. She wore her courage and hope like armor, let nothing stand against her.

\----------------------------  
Yorktown State University, The Courtyard Gardens

And last and the most important point of interest in the entire school, the Courtyard Gardens. The place itself makes the majority of the Grand Courtyard, a location where the Administration Complex was located. It was also the primary route to every location of the entire YSU, which basically meant that every location and point of interest in school lead always to the gardens.

“Did… did we just doze off?”

As the immortals and the elder arrived at the area, they immediately noticed a drastic change around them.

“Wasn’t it high noon when we last departed? Was the school this big to take up much time?”

Mass confusion plagued their formations as they looked around the increasingly eerie environment. It was clearly night time to where they were, yet the clocks still ticked past noon. Looking back at the path to where they came from, it was the same as the one before them.

“A loop. This is clearly a Realitycraft of a high caliber. Interesting…”

The elder cannot help but to be impressed by this elaborate trap. Basically, all of them were inside a confined space of an infinite loop. What impressed him was if a Realitycraft of this magnitude and potency were to be cast upon, then it would have been noticeable.

This space was created so seamlessly that they all felt just walking through a path. The encompassing became smaller and smaller until they noticed it was too late. They were like livestock that had been lead into a pen.

“Oh~? Why are you all acting like blind pigs?”

The entire army was alerted to the sudden voice that spoke out from the darkness of the night; it was a mere whisper, but it each and every one of them felt like the whisperer was but an earshot away. 

“--and here I thought you lot are the fabled creatures of the night. Have you all been blinded by such false grandeur~?”

The whisper mocked with such a tone that they can form an image of a smug expression upon their minds.

“Smoke and mirrors are not enough to shake us down, show yourself!”

The elder demanded as he actively scanned around, searching for movements outside.

“I’m right here.”,

“...!”

As the elder turned his head towards his peripheral, he saw a shadowed figure clad in white armor in a style of a Victorian dress with a butterfly motif. Her face was hidden upon the shade of her feathered metal hat, exuding a visage of a western noble from the Renaissance era. She may be a superhero but her presence radiates pure malice that dwarfs all of them before her glory.

“And here I thought Mr. Richter would be smarter than this.”,

“Y-You know Lord Richter!?”,

“But of course--”

The white-clad novus suddenly appeared in a different location with a blink of an eye.

“--he was the one who approached us. And help him pinpoint his dusty old relic. I have advised our superior against it--but here we are now. The moment he had a taste of power, the sooner he would turn his back on us and try to dominate everything~.”,

“Hmph! Then who cares if he did!? Now that the gift of the Mantra is upon us, no one can stop us!”,

“Oho~? Kihihihi~”

Each time she would complete a sentence, the novus would appear and reappear on multiple directions as if circling them.

“Laugh all you want, but this won’t stop us! Enough talk! Get her!”,

“...”,

“Didn’t you hear me!? I said kill her!”,

“...”

The elder’s army of immortals just fell silent and inanimate, it did not took long before the elder noticed that he was the only one moving and talking.

“What is real? What is illusion? Are you sure you’re the only you? Are you sure you’re talking through your mouth and not through your thoughts? Ah~~ such misfortune! Splendid and catastrophic!”

The novus’ cackle echoed and resonated like a thunderous boom. With every breath they took, every sound they hear and make, every thought that came through their minds---she can read it like well-written note. Her word was law upon this spacial fracture of an infinite loop, this was her own power.

“...kkh… I can’t---use my---”,

“--can’t use your the Mantra? Mhmhm~ Oh I forgot to mention! We already knew.”,

“Wh-Wha---!?”

The elder immortal managed to muster an expression of disbelief despite his inanimate state. The disbelief that the Mantra would even be heard of by a novus, when they have kept its secret from the outside world for eons. Even if this novus could read their thoughts, it was not as if she could easily understand them; but the way that she responded, the elder knew that she was no stranger to the Mantra.

“To think you of all people would have the audacity to turn your backs unto humanity and go back to fulfill the Original Sin… How shameful. The Golden Ancestor has entrusted you this solemn duty, so that in his return, you shall be finally set free from the curse of the El or Divinities as you call them.”,

“H-How--”

One revelation unto another, the novus even stated one of their sacred scriptures of the Golden Ancestor, furthering the elder’s dread that he felt it clawing through his chest.

“The moment you raise the Mantra against mankind would enact a divine retribution in a form of three of the chosen, the manifestation of the Golden Ancestor’s doom---War, Discord, and Fury.”

The novus turned her head at a distance with a disgusted expression.

“--And you could say that my ‘sisters’ were here too.”,

“N-No wa--y! The Trinity… and you--you’re the manifestation of Discord! the ones to bring… about… our… doom---aaaaah!”

The elder’s arrogant composure collapsed entirely as the entirety was revealed before him. To think the legends were true, and the novus before them was not just any other Superhero. She was the aspect of Discord herself, the novus need not tell him because it was clear as day; her imposing aura, and her sheer control over time-space paradox.

“Hence try as you may… the Mantra will never work on us! We are the Golden One’s will! Kihihihihi…hehehehe---HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

Moving her presence back and forth through time with the speed that breaks through the time continuum itself; the novus created a swarm of time shadows that populated the entire area. The novus’ laughter and cackling echoed with a chorus of pure chaos, enough to make a man bleed from the inside out. Each and every one of the time shadows moved in-sync, drawing their Nex Arm, an ornate rifle akin to a carbine.

“Now… let me hear all of you curse your own misfortune! KIHIHEHEHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!”

By her own will, the infinite loop collapsed, peeling off the exterior replica of the Courtyard Gardens revealing an empty white horizon. A reality exists in-between paradoxes of time and space, her own domain. A white void with no beginning nor end, a place where you can die in a million loop--a perfect place to meet such gruesome fate.

Countless time shadows altogether primed their weapons, all of them pointing at their helpless victims. It was not long before the entire void itself was filled with an agonizing symphony, as the time shadows fired their weapons at the inanimate legion of immortals. The coalescence of energy from their projectile created a massive sphere of light, the sphere of light then exploded with a force rivaling an exploding sun.

The Abstract of Discord: Codex Yuda

It was later seen the novus holding a small sphere where she oversaw the merciless deaths of the ones that called themselves ‘immortals’. In her hand was the crystallization of a singularity loop where she trapped all of them. With a wicked smile upon her shrouded profile, she then proceeded to crush the singularity with her fingers… a guarantee that any hope of escape was naught.

Flipping her beautiful white cape, the novus reverted back into her original self. A young girl donning a ornate dress as black as the night, a young and dangerous beaut. Dismissing her presence, the entire garden was back to its sunny state.

“Lady Nobuki, Clovi reporting in.”

From her shadow, suddenly materialized marionette donning a maid uniform uttering the novus’ identity--- Nobuki Aoda.

“Good, just in time. Come, walk with me and state your report.”

The two walked beyond the Courtyard Gardens and into the ruined sections of the YSU. Thanks to Nobuki’s effort to stop the Immortal army from turning the heart of the school into a war zone, most of the infrastructure was preserved. Although she cannot say the same for the rest of it, the attack was sudden and the emergency protocols were still not enough.

Whilst walking, Nobuki’s automaton maid stated her report in detail. Most of it the former found amusing, especially with the return of Kurome in the school grounds. Other than that, the three of them have managed to defeat the army of Immortal incursion from their institution.

“Hinokami-san being here could only mean one thing--”,

With that vital part still on her mind, Nobuki’s expression twisted into wide grin and could not help but giggle in excitement.

“--she too now stands in my way. Kihihihi~ This is splendid ah~ I couldn’t even hold back the chills! The ones whom I treated as sisters now stand against me as my mortal rivals! Fufufuhahaha!”

Her grip on her parasol and her shoulders began visibly trembling as she strained a cackle.

“Kurome… You always know how to make my life interesting. Friend or not, you have been always the light to my darkness. I look forward to crushing that light with my bare hands and see you squirm in defeat! KihihihihahahahaHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!”

Apart from her animosity towards Virgilia and Kurome, Nobuki seemed to also have a strange obsession over them. A morbid desire to see them fall yet she wanted to keep them close, and she would not let any harm come to them but hers. Even behind all the antagonism, part of Nobuki still cared about them.

And thus, with the Immortal Elders banished and defeated by the Trinity, the Immortal incursion’s morale massively dwindled. These three girls’ exploits eventually spread among the students like wildfire. Eventually calling them, “The Three Goddesses” of YSU by the novus populace of the student body.

From this city-wide catastrophe began their legend and infamy, the three strongest superheroes in the entire Metro Zone.

\----------------------

Yorktown Metro Zone, Ruined District

With much of the populace have been evacuated and the Immortal Army pushed back, most of the Metro Zone were nothing more than a deserted scorching rubble. The superhero reinforcements began to slowly drive the bulk of the army off of the Metro Zone. But from a district to where Yorktown Medical was, a fierce battle still raged on.

“Yaaah…!!!”

Utilizing three neon orbs, Ailana fired high speed vectors that tore through debris like heat-seeking projectiles. Before they can even reach their target midway, she then splits it into three and have the other six circumvent the enemy. She was at the height of her novus abilities, Ailana was pulling no punches.

But as they reached their target, they were easily dispersed by Richter’s defensive matrix. With a wave of her hands, Ailana then call forth the remaining six. But to her dismay, it yielded the same result.

“You can’t win this---”,

“Aaaarrrgh!!!”

Drowning out her enemy’s taunt, she slammed both her hands to the ground. And in an instant, summoned a rapid barrage of vectors from underneath Richter. The vectors buzzed through the concrete like jet geysers of hot beams.

“Argh…”

Ailana’s knee buckled, fatigue was already apparent when she was giving it her all and yet…

“Wh--What?”

As the dust cleared, Richter walked out of it with a mere dirty cloak. It was the same result as always, she was up against truly impossible odds. Ailana was experiencing firsthand what it was like fighting a god, like fighting a reflection of a moon upon a puddle.

“I shall give you credit for touching my cloak at least. But---”,

“Ah…!”

With a mere flick of his finger, Ailana was assault by blinding spark that was like condensed explosion. It was powerful enough to tear off a piece of her Nex Frame, and it only looked like a warning shot. An attack this potent would mean Richter could have easily blew a hole through her chest.

“--still just as futile.”,

“Eeeyaaaah..!”

Even with her guard up, she was still blown away by his attack by flicking three consecutive sparks. Ailana flew through three layers of concrete debris, she was terribly suffering in the face of futility. Yet, her will refused to falter for even the slightest moment, because she knew the moment she hesitates here would mean the end of everything.

“W-Walter…”

Her body has already taken too much damage even for a superhero like her, but she still stood strong.

“Why must you continue this shameful display!?”

Richter appeared before her in an instant, grabbing her by the neck then lifting her up as he floated upwards.

“B-Because… I--have--kkh--something to--protect--hhngh!”,

“You hapless fool!”,

“Gaaah!”

Ailana was yet again sent flying through the pavement as Richter threw her so effortlessly like a beaten-up rag doll. He could only cast a disgusted expression upon this travesty of a display, he was not enjoying this confrontation one bit. The longer this one-sided battle dragged on, the more bitter it shall leave a taste in his mouth when this is finally over.

“Stand down, Ailana. Or I shall finish this right this instant. Even a god has a limit to his patience, and mine is wearing thin.”

He declared as he amassed a coalescence of energy on his raised hand, manifesting it in a form of light akin to a star. 

“Not while I still stand… Everything that encompasses my vision---I will protect no matter what.”

Ailana managed to muster statement of conviction, her body may be broken but her heart and soul was still burning, one of the makings of a true superhero.

“--then die knowing you didn’t stood a chance, as I make you watch everyone suffer because of you.”,

“...!”

She rolled out of the way to dodge a powerful beam that seared through the ground. Unleashing his amassed power through his fingertip, Richter traced through the ground with a condensed beam of light chasing after Ailana. The latter attempted to outrun the beam, summoning every ounce of strength she has left.

Ailana was already using her Kindred’s Vein to augment her already enhanced physical attributes, but it would not be long before her body give out from the stress. Focusing her Nexus Energy, she proceed to summon six neon orbs ignoring the repercussion of it. Ailana has yet to master using her Nexus Trait by summoning a maximum of 4-5 neon orbs, summoning the fourth one was already too much for her; a sixth one would mean she would be exhausting every bit of Nexus Energy within her, which would prove fatal in most cases.

“Haah!”

As Ailana dodged the tracing beam, she fired six neon vectors at Richter. The vectors arced through in random and unpredictable directions, surrounding him in an instant. With a wave of his hand, Richter used the beam to slice through them all at once, with minimal effort.

“Raaaaagh!”

With him distracted, Ailana seized the opportunity to circumvent around him and charged at his blind side, the moment he destroyed her projectiles. From her six orbs, she drew a dual-wield three-pronged neon whip. Winding them up, Ailana swung both her whips with their spear tips flying straight at her enemy.

“...!”

She gasped the moment when she saw him turn his head to where she was, as he saw through the attack. With instantaneous movement, Richter weaved through the attack and towards Ailana herself. It felt surreal to her as she saw numerous light spears materialized behind him.

“...gwaaghkk…!”

She could not move fast enough to defend herself at point-blank, as the spears stabbed through her chest, shoulders, abdomen and her forearms. She vomited blood as she felt her Kindred’s Vein, the ability that had been her crutch for a while, finally gave away. Thankfully the spear that pierced through her chest missed both her lung and heart, as if it was on purpose; but she was pinned to the ground by these very spears, Ailana was helpless to such agony.

“Argh---aahargh…!”

She struggled to get up, but the spears of light were practically pinning majority of her upper body; moving now may further injure her further, but regardless, Ailana was very much alive.

“Look at you. Still struggling to a pointless battle.”

Richter landed before her, still persevering in the face of certain defeat.

“For a novus with those injuries, you will live. But those lynch pins of light will forbid you of any more unnecessary movements. Struggle and you will die in a slow death.”,

“Grrkh… Richter…! Arrrgh!”,

“Hmm… even now you still continue to fight a losing battle. Just like father, he constantly fought against the Regnant of Eve---losing more than he could gain. Eventually he succumbed into stagnation, resulting in his self-destruction. I have shown him mercy so that he can no longer soil his name before us… and now…”

Richter turned his attention to the debris of what was formerly Yorktown Medical, and raised his hand. From the debris, rose Walter’s unconscious body---barely had a sign of health and still being tormented by the potent blood poisoning. He telekinetically beckoned Walter’s body unto his side, holding him by the arms as Walter’s body floated towards Richter. 

“--I shall do the same for him. This person has suffered enough, he’s already begging for the sweet release of death.”,

“--no--nooo!!!”

Ailana panicked as she saw Walter at Richter’s mercy, she persisted on struggling but she could not move an inch to come to Walter’s aid.

“Gaze upon him, Ailana. This is the result of your own selfishness.”,

“--No…gah… please! Walter!!! Richter--stop…!!!”,

Ailana screamed even with her throat gargling blood from her internal bleeding, she was begging for his life. Raising Walter’s body up, Richter channeled his energy upon his finger like the last attack he did earlier. The coalescence of energy manifested as a bright spark that radiated like a star, though much smaller, this attack was meant for a swift death.

Aila…

Time seemed to slow down as Ailana saw Walter’s mouth move and mouthed her name.

“Walter…”

Ailana’s tears rolled down as she called out his name, she cannot even tell if she was screaming or just uttering his name in her mind. The world seemed silent even though she was screaming her throat out, desperation was all there was. How could she even call herself a hero, if she cannot even save one life? The that she gave upon another, in hopes for a second chance… 

\----------------------------------

Weak… oh how weak have you become…

“Uh?”

It was out of nowhere that a whispering voice loud as thunder resonated within her mind. As she scanned the surroundings, she suddenly realized that she was not pinned anymore; she felt her body was liberated from any burden like she was flying. She was standing upright, yet she can see Richter holding Walter in a suspended time.

“That’s… me…”

Ailana muttered as she turned her head only to see herself still pinned to the ground by Richter’s spears. It would seem that she has entered a trance-like state, where her consciousness was separated from her body. Akin to astral projection, but different somehow…

Indeed… Such a pathetic sight is it not?

“...! Who--who are you!? Sh-Show yourself!”

She demanded as the voice continued creeping from nowhere, just toying her for its own twisted amusement.

“I think I am already present before you…”,

“...!!!”

Ailana’s heart jumped as she saw her current self suddenly spoke and rose from the ground. As the other “her” approached her, the fatal injuries were still apparent from her broken body. It was as if the body itself was being manipulated like a puppet, walking so casually feeling numb to the agonizing pain of such injuries sustained.

“Who are you?”,

“Isn’t it still obvious? I am you… but I digress. You can call me by the name--Eden.”,

“Eden, as in Eden--the perpetrator of the Original Sin!?”,

“I see you have done your homework. Yes. That is correct.”,

“But… that’s impossible!”

Ailana just recoiled in disbelief to such bold claim. Eden, was the name of the recorded perpetrator, said to have lead the Original Sin. Apocryphal texts of the Regnant told that Eden was also the first human to have fallen in love with a divine being, that being the Golden Ancestor himself before the catastrophe.

It says that Eden was outright rejected by the Golden Ancestor, due to them being in such different worlds. Out of revenge and bent on proving to him that humans can achieve godhood, she gathered seven disciples and a following to steal a Mantra Core. But this was unlike any other cores, this was the core of Alaya, the very root of the Divine Beings’ power upon the mortal coil.

If successful, they could have achieve the same level of divinity as the Celestials themselves. But their plan backfired and they have underestimated the core’s power. Resulting of the deed being discovered by the Divine Beings, and putting the entire human race at an inconsolable odds with them.

“’During the events of the Original Sin, seven of my disciples have reached the Mantra Core of the Divine Citadel of Alaya--the largest and most powerful Mantra Core in existence. As we attempt to steal and harness its power, all seven of us were assimilated by the Alaya’s Mantra Core---”

As she told Ailana the story, her body began to separate from hers and rapidly grew in size as she willingly warped the entire reality surrounding them.

“--our bodies were remade into a thing of beauty, and with our combined wills, we molded the Mantra into something much more powerful. We, the Avidaya, born from the scorn of those wretched Divine Beings now achieved our ultimate goal--godhood itself! But alas--of all the people who could have stopped us, it was him that raised his sword against me. The one I loved… and the one reason I did all this…”

Eden lamented as she referenced the Golden Ancestor himself who stood in her way.

“He resented me for turning my back to my own kind. Before we could even demonstrate our new-found powers, the Divine Beings deactivated the Core of Alaya, sealing us in, to be never come into existence once more---until now…”

She finished as she finally completed her transformation unto her true form, she cast upon Ailana an expression of twisted joy, a cathartic bliss. After eons of hopelessness being sealed upon by the Celestials themselves, now Eden has means to finally emerge. With the Celestials finally gone from their planet, there will be none to oppose them.

“But… why are you here…? Why are you inhabiting my body?”,

“Hmm… I would assume your mother never told you? About the Lotton Clan’s safeguarded relic?”,

“That Mantra relic was you…”,

“Wh-What…?”

Ailana felt her knees almost buckled by such a revelation, everything felt like a dream yet it was apparent before her.

“But how---? I’m a real person! I refuse to believe such claims!”,

“Foolish… one cannot outright deny their true nature. You know very well that not all humans are compatible to bear a child with a Cursed One, incompatible ones contract a curse that would destroy the entirety of their body.”

Eden continued as she looked Ailana straight in the eye, the latter attempted to look away, but her overpowering will compelled her to do so. As she did, Ailana found herself at the scene where her mother was at her father’s deathbed. It was from the time just a few minutes before her father’s passing.

“Mother…?”

Ailana tried to touch her mother but her hand just phased through her, it was but a mere projection of the past.

“Your mother mourned for days… when desperation finally pushed her to the brink. One night, she broke through the Lotton Clan’s Mantra Vault and did away with the Mantra artifact your clan has been guarding--and that artifact was a piece of the Alaya’s Mantra Core.”

She then showed to her host the image of Lady Aifina scrambling through various texts and obscure references from the Regnant Archives.

“Then… armed with the forbidden knowledge of various Thaumaturgies and taboo rituals, she used the exhumed body of her late lover, and the artifact as catalysts for a ritual. Adding a piece of her soul to reactivate the relic, she initiated the ritual summoning me in the process.”

From the ritual then emerged female enigma that mirrored Lady Aifina’s appearance, using the catalysts to take shape and corporeal form.

“She begged to my feet to give her husband back. But I refused… Such a thing is impossible even for Divine Beings. I was but an incomplete entity, even with my full power, I cannot grant her request. But I cannot turn her away, I saw myself in her shoes in ages long past. I cannot resurrect her husband but I can offer an alternative…”,

“And that is?”,

“...An offspring.”

Before Ailana, she saw Eden using her own body to regress her physical form into that of an infant’s. Ailana’s mother then picked up the infant, and saw genuine happiness as she cradled her in her arms. The tears of joy rolled down Lady Aifina’s cheeks as she saw a new beginning with the child.

“I sacrificed my body and my soul to give you to her… a new soul of a clean slate, and that is you-- Ailana. But in exchange, when the time comes when you come of age, without experiencing true despair, she will have her daughter. But if not, each time of despair I will manifest until eventually emerging---now fully resurrected with all of my powers, and with you being assimilated within me…”,

“...mother…”

Ailana finally gave way and just broke down, the truth was finally in the open. Now explains how her mother was overprotective of her, and not just because of her duty as a mother. Lady Aifina was, at the same time, trying to prevent Eden from emerging from her.

That also explained the voices and nightmares she was having during times when she is always distraught. Eden was actually feeding off her negative emotions, the more she was in distress, the stronger the manifestation was. And now pushed to the brink of her being helpless to save Walter, now gave Eden enough power to finally take form in Ailana’s subconscious.

Ailana was but a borrowed existence from a greater being that is Eden, the one that was raised by Lady Aifina. Her presence was a mere decoy to feed the greater beast within her. Such a revelation was too much for a young girl like her to bear.

“The Avidaya shall rise and finally take our rightful place upon the throne of humanity where I shall gather my seven disciples once more. And then next, we shall be a step closer to absolution.”

Eden’s body began undergoing metamorphosis once again as she grew larger in size, sprouting metal appendages on her back. Her silhouette now resembled that of a spider, closing its distance to the still sobbing Ailana. The visage of the spider always terrorized Ailana even as a kid, she would always see it in her dreams and sometimes hallucinate about it.

“Now… Ailana, you are no longer needed. The accord that I have made with your mother is over!”

Eden’s presence easily clouded over everything in sight, signifying her vast control over Ailana’s consciousness. The eight metal appendages easily towered over the last of Ailana’s consciousness, their colossal scale looked like she could physically embrace the entire planet. As the appendages pointed at Ailana, Eden commanded them to attack the last remnant of consciousness; and with this, her victory shall be sealed and her emergence nigh…

“...!”

Or so she thought…

“What--!?”

A luminous light instantly flooded over the unrelenting darkness, light came from Ailana herself. The light of hope, a bane of despair and a fatal weakness of the Avidaya. From the dirt, she rose--Ailana stood tall against the seemingly almighty Eden, the Anti-Celestial and the embodiment of the Avidaya.

“--By granting my mother’s wish. I was born… even though I was not from her womb, she did raised me with love and treated me like her own flesh and blood. Within me, was my father’s soul and a piece of my mother’s. From their hopes and dreams and love that knew no bounds nor differences, I was given life. Not from the Avidaya nor the Mantra…!”

Ailana spoke, her voice echoed throughout her infinite consciousness, powerful enough to even shatter the darkness and Eden’s towering spider limbs.

“But be that as it may, you are still me, we coexist in this body. I am Ailana! I am this body’s manifestation of hope! One cannot banish despair just the same.”,

“Tch… you… I have underestimated you, girl… And I was this close to tipping the scales. Argh…!”

Eden finally yielded, her opportunity to take over her original body was now lost forever. Eden was the darkness to Ailana’s light, both cannot exist without the other. The former hoped to take advantage of the despair she had wrought upon, then maybe Eden could have taken measures to hide Ailana’s main role. 

And now that Ailana has awakened, Eden was a fool to think that she had power of her in the beginning. The moment she granted Lady Aifina’s wish, gave birth to Ailana also gave birth to a mirror of Eden. A mirror of her past self, when she and the Golden Ancestor were together, that was named as ‘Ailana’.

“But as you can see… My body is broken, and he needs my help. I am the only one who can help him. Eden, I need your help.”,

“Ha! Help, from me? Hmph… I refu---”,

“I want you to make my wish to you.”,

“...!”

Eden was caught by surprise as she was about to outright scoff Ailana off. It was possible for her to make an accord to Ailana, since they work as separate entities despite being one complete being. Ailana held control over the body while Eden has all the power of her old self; without Ailana, there was no conduit to the Avidaya to manifest, but without Eden, their existence would fall apart without the tether of the Avidaya’s sealed power.

“I do not need tell you that by striking an accord with me by granting your wish… I will emerge from your consciousness?”,

“That’s the idea. I know I shouldn’t trust you---”,

“Fufufu… I may be the antithesis to the Mantra--but to me, an accord is an accord. What kind of monster do you take me for?”,

“Alright… my wish---”

\---------------------------------------

“Hmm…”

As he was about to finish off Walter, Richter glanced over Ailana one more time. Her body just lied still, seemingly lifeless and devoid of a pulse with her Nexus Energy extinguished. It would seem that she has finally succumbed to her fatal injuries after struggling for too long.

“Ah such a shame.”

Floating back down, Richter just tossed Walter aside, there was no point of killing him any longer. Despite his words of being merciful to Walter, in the end, his life was of no significance to Richter. He was hoping to use him as leverage, but it would seem that he miscalculated the damage he inflicted upon her beforehand.

“...!”

As soon as he turned around, a startling presence stood before him face to face.

“How in the---”

Richter made a quick glance to where Ailana lied lifeless earlier, only to find the spot empty. He quickly jumped out of the way, raising his guard up. His instinct screamed as his body responded, why would he suddenly make an effort to raise his defense, when earlier Ailana was fighting a one-sided battle with him?

“How… how are you still alive? Hmph. So you are that persistent, huh?”

Regaining his composure, he brushed it off but his Mantra Core was telling him that something was off. The recovered Ailana just stood there and still bleeding from her wounds, and yet he could not feel anything from her, not even a flicker of life. She was physically present before him, but she felt non-existent, like a phantom.

“Then I’ll just have to finish this confrontation. I have places to go, Ailana. Destiny awaits.”,

“...”,

“Not even gonna respond? Good.”

His smug outlook persisted despite the growing fear and suspicion within him. Channeling his energy upon his fingertips once again, he amassed a powerful coalescence of radiance. His fingertip sparked like a flickering flame with an intense radiance.

“Let me finish what I started earli---AaaAaARGH!!?!?”

As he was about to point his projectile at Walter’s direction, Ailana suddenly appeared beside him and grabbed his arm. As soon as she grabbed ahold of it, she crumpled Richter’s forearm like a piece of carton. The sound of cracking and crunching of his bones was accompanied by his hellish agony over such an injury.

“Aaahaaargh! H-How did you--uuuuwagh!”

As Richter was about to turn to her, he sustained a solid hit from Ailana’s shin which sent him tumbling through the ragged pavement.

“Augh…--agh… How… How can she even--touch me---!? Ugh…! Aaaaagh!”

Richter screamed in terror as he found his right arm missing, only to find it on Ailana’s grasp. It would seem that she tore his arm the moment she kicked him at the distance. He did not even felt an energy manifested as she did that attack, he could only question to where did she even get the strength like that.

“--how does it feel?”,

“...!?”

Richter looked up to see Ailana standing over him, as she tossed his lopped arm before him. He looked as if he was looking at darkness itself, the darkness that he cast aside to regain his place in the light. He gazed upon Ailana’s shrouded countenance and he knew that she was Ailana no longer.

“How does it feel to bleed so helplessly upon such futility.”,

“Who--Who are you?”,

“...I have no name to give to a fool---”

‘Ailana’ lifted him up as she grabbed him by the chin, drawing his face close upon the impenetrable darkness that shrouded her countenance.

“---who deliberately turned his back upon his true nature and played with fire.”,

“Aaaargh!”

Suddenly through impulse, Richter slammed a projectile point-blank at at her face. He knew not how he did, but he took the opportunity and bolted off flying. It was his Mantra’s defensive mechanism that bought enough time to create such a margin of opportunity.

Even though the explosion was powerful enough to level a city block, Ailana looked unfazed by it and made her recoil a little. She felt her face, with bits of scorched flesh falling off, exposing her skull. But such an injury was but a feeble attempt to stop her, as the sinews of her flesh began mending themselves back together.

“...”

In mere seconds, her face was completely healed as if nothing happened. Ailana spotted Richter making a run for it, as he hurriedly fled the scene. Cracking her neck and stretching a bit, Ailana looked like she was loosening up.

“What was that--even with a point-blank attack like that she’s still standing!? This is getting dangerous, I need to gather my army and retrea--”,

“--No, you won’t.”,

“Waah!”

Ailana suddenly appeared before him, yet again. She moved without even using excess energy trailing her, it was as if she can be anywhere at once as she willed it so. No one alive was physically capable of such instantaneous travel without using a conduit.

“How--how…!? How are you doing this!? Am I in a Realitycraft? But that cannot be! The Mantra cannot be affected by projected reality!”,

“You are right.”

Ailana slowly raised both her hands to the side then made a claw with her hands. As soon as she did, she grasped through the invisible strings and plucked it with her index finger. Instantaneously, she surrounded Richter with glowing red strings.

“A--argh…!”

He was taken by surprise and was left with no margin of movement. If he does try to move an inch, he could feel that these strings would easily slice him to ribbons. He could sense that this was not Nexus Energy, but something much more malignant.

“Rest assured… the pain and suffering will be just as real. Please… savor it.”,

“EEYAAAAARGH..!!!”

The moment Ailana pulled the strings from her grasp, RIchter screamed as he felt every pore of his skin was being pulled apart by the strings; with every strand of hair on his body becoming part of the weave. Ailana was actually pulling the literal fibers of his being, and once it was tampered with, he would be instantly assaulted with pain seething through not just his physical, but also mental, emotional, and spiritual essence. As the strings revolve and weaved around him, he felt like being pelted alive.

“Wh-Why… I can’t… activate---the Mantra!?”

He had been attempting to prime his Mantra core, but its light would fade as fast as it was beckoned. Little did he knew, that the energy from his core was being redirected by the strings out of his body and into Ailana’s, every time he musters its energy. With him bound from every angle, Richter nowhere to go.

“You had it all laid out for you, all you had to do was follow upon your path and true immortality could have been yours. But you let yourself be lost to greed… and now… it will all come tumbling down…”,

“I refuse… I refuse!!! Raaaaargh!!!”

A strong sense of desperation, recklessness and adrenaline coursed through him as he managed to free his hand and pointed it to Ailana. With his arm free of the strings, he channeled all of the energy he can muster from the Mantra Core into one concentrated attack. His palm illuminated like the sun as he prepared to fire but then…

“Ah---!”,

“...”

Nothing happened, the light that was supposed unleash his biggest attack yet--it evaporated in an instant.

“H-How did---”,

“You relied on that power too much, that power alone cannot be outright be used against the Avidaya.”

Circuit-like veins crept through the outline of her body as the Avidaya responded to the Mantra’s manifestation. The Mantra itself cannot be used against another outright, one must meet certain conditions before doing so. The Avidaya on the other hand, being its antithesis, can be used to either against the Mantra itself, or countering/nullifying it.

“I shall save you the disgrace of your futile attempts and just devour you.”,

“Wait---stop--AaaAaAaaaAaAgh…!!!”

Richter could only watch in horror as he saw Ailana’s form sprouted six metal spider legs, wit each of the legs holding him in place. Manipulating the threads, Ailana quickly wrapped his entire body into a web cocoon. As she bared her fangs, she sank them into the cocoon and began feeding upon Richter himself.

Whilst inside the cocoon, his entire body was quickly disintegrated into energy. The Avidaya then assimilates that energy into its own, making it a part of its manifestation. Soon the cocoon was emptied and Richter was no more, a gruesome death for a gruesome man.

As the cocoon was unwoven not even flesh was left, just a handful of excess blood remained. The Avidaya-possessed Ailana licked her hand and wrist of the blood as her eyes glow red, with Eden as the apparent dominant persona. Having consumed her first victim, Eden savored the moment emerging once again for several millennia. 

“Mmmh…~”

Having fed for the first time, it felt cathartic to her that it sent chills of excitement under her skin. This unholy bliss on the verge of breaking her sanity and losing to the sweet ecstasy. She felt like she could laugh up a storm, but ultimately held back against it.

“...”

As she finished, Eden/Ailana set her sights to Walter, whom was still lying by he pavement.

“Ah… the poor thing… no doubt suffering because of this girl’s selfishness.”

She walked upon the metal appendages like a humanoid spider. Half of her Nex Frame was already being malformed by the Avidaya-Arm. As she approached Walter, Eden/Ailana gently brushed through his vein-ridden cheek, an apparent condition of the curse of slow death--the same fate that Ailana’s father suffered. 

“As much as I would like to extend my stay, an accord is an accord. The Avidaya dictates it.”

Eden/Ailana muttered. This was Ailana’s wish upon her, upon the Avidaya itself. That wish was to rid of Walter of the cursed blood that Ailana lent to him. Like Lady Aifina’s wish, Eden held no guarantee that she can grant such wish, the Avidaya can produce various means to achieve its goal.

Such an accord can be twisted just as easily to benefit Eden herself, like what she did with Ailana’s mother. But this time it was different, a formal request from herself to her. While being the first Avidaya to emerge, Eden was still eager to what heights can it reach; and by granting Ailana’s wish would be a start.

“Now then, let us begin.”

From her two metal appendages, retracted two sharp needles. These needles would then be jabbed on both sides of Walter’s neck, it was a rather gruesome procedure but it was the only option that she had. To cure him of the cursed blood that Ailana shared, Eden must start how it came to be.

“Ah… as expected. He is minutes away from dying. The blood has already taken over 96% of his nervous system which means I have to reverse this as soon as possible.”

Not a second to spare, Eden began the blood cleansing. Since the blood was originally Ailana’s it was easy to assimilate the stagnant blood from his body. Slowly, the stagnant blood began assimilating upon Walter’s bloodstream. 

“Hm…?”

As she was about half-way done, Eden noticed something off.

“Uh… ugh…!!!”,

“What--what’s happening? The stagnation rate is increasing. His heart rate is beating so fast I can’t observe it!”

Eden panicked as the stagnation just instantly went up into its zenith. Walter’s heart rate was so fast that a normal human heart would have been mushed like a squashed fruit. In addition, his entire body was convulsing to the point where even Eden could not hold him down.

“...!!!”

Eden gasped as Walter’s eyes suddenly shot open with eyes ridden with circuit veins. The clotted veins all over his body began aligning reminiscent of Mantra circuits. As soon as Walter’s eyes opened, he gazed upon Eden’s eyes, and she felt like time stood still.

“What--gaaaah!!!”

All of a sudden, Eden was seemingly assaulted by an unseen force; the moment that her gaze met with his, she saw a light flashed upon her very eyes. She felt like she was blinded, recoiling back a few steps to recover. But as soon as she opened her eyes… a vision projected itself before her.

\------------------------------------

“Huh? Wh-Where am I? Wait a minute--I’m back in this form. Is the accord completed?”

Eden was surprised to found herself back in her Avidaya form, the body she manifested inside Ailana’s mind. And yet her other half, Ailana was none to be found. She could not even feel her entire body, it was like she was somewhere where she was not supposed to be.

“...! Wha--aah… ah…!!!”

A look of pure unadulterated terror as suddenly a colossal entity manifested before her. An eyelid opening with an eye so enormous that she was sub-atomic in comparison to its size. It was not a star nor a celestial body, it was larger than life itself--larger than even a single universe.

And she could tell it was but a single eye of a much larger entity, the knowledge of it shook her to the very core. This astronomical eye emitted a radiance that could have physically purged her entire body if she was actually standing before it. And just gazing upon it, trying to perceive its existence felt impossible without the cost of her own sanity.

Soon, the eye lifted itself to reveal a massive neck. Ten pillars arose that encompassed beyond eternity and beyond astronomical comprehension. A ten-headed dragon whose body consisted of infinite dead multiverses, its size, appearance--its very existence was beyond something even Celestials cannot grasp.

Then from the distance of the infinite darkness--sparked a lone light. It was fairly insignificant at first, but then over time, they grew in number until they were numerous as the stars themselves. These light sources would reveal to be a grand armada of golden ships.

Ships that were constructed by the Mantra itself, and in those ships were the Celestials themselves. But even with their sheer numbers, the entire armada seemed still minuscule compared to the ten-headed dragon. More and more arrived, until eventually one spark of light whose radiance stood out the most.

“Aargh…!”

Eden was overwhelmed by this light as did the dragon itself. From this very light emerged an almighty entity, an entity that seemed to lead the ever-growing armada of Mantra ships. Eden need not utter this being’s name, she instantly knew who the omnipotent entity was.

“The creator…”

The one above all, and the alpha itself. Those the creator’s physical form seemed smaller, his presence was enough for the dragon itself to notice it. With a wave of his almighty hand, the creator went to war against the ten-headed beast.

“This… vision.”

Eden muttered as it was now clear to her, that what she was seeing before her was a vision of a war that transcends beyond. A struggle between the light and the beginning, and the end and the revelation. Projectiles that are capable of vaporizing universes fly across the opposing sides, but the Ten-headed beast still had the upper hand.

Even the Creator himself was wrestled and overpowered by just one of the dragon’s heads. The beast gained significant hand over the fight, unleashing a mighty roar that quaked the entire void space itself. Even with the endless tide of the Armada, they cannot stand against the beast’s wake.

All hope seemed lost until…

“...! Him!”

Eden gasped as she saw a lone celestial bee-lining across the void with all of his power. 

“Adam…!”

Adam, or better known as the Golden Ancestor himself. Using the time bought by his fellow divine beings, he boldly broken through the beast’s defenses and plunged himself into the ten-headed dragon’s core. Once there, he raised both his hands and used his very existence itself to assimilate this omnipotent beast from within.

“Adam! Adam stop! Stop this! You’re gonna kill yourself!!!”

Eden was trying to stop him, ignoring the fact that she was just reliving a vision of a battle long past. She could hear the screams that he was just to can in as he forcefully assimilates the core. The ten-headed dragon shrieked as it felt the assimilation from within its infinite body.

But alas, the beast was just simply too strong. In the midst of the battle of wills, instead of assimilating the core, Adam ended up merging with it. With his existence used as a catalyst, he became one with the dragon’s core.

“Ah… Eden… forgive me--I only wished I could undo what I have said to you… that--day--”,

“Adam… Adam…”

Eden could only cry upon this ultimate sacrifice. It would seem that this war took place after him, being known as the Golden Ancestor, finally departed from earth to rejoin with his fellow divine beings or the Ea or El. His only regret was he never got the chance to say goodbye to Eden, after the Original Sin where she disappeared along with her seven disciples.

With Adam’s last words before finally being completely merged with ten-headed beast. Now being the core himself, he willed the beast to cease, causing its entire body to shrink and began to turn into stone. The monument of the ten-headed beast would then be banished unto the well of reincarnation by the Alpha Creator himself to dilute it’s fearsome power through the course of time; let it know the concept of mortality, the concept of death.

Eden watched as the soul vessel, to which the beast was sealed traveled through multiple universes, being passed on, generations upon generations. As the time flowed, and reincarnations moved to one individual unto another, the beast’s essence was reduced to an indefinite dormancy. And thanks to Adam’s power, his lingering essence upon the soul vessel ensured its passage through the flow of reincarnation.

The soul passed on unto the present where it was revealed that Walter was the recent individual to have been born from the dragon’s soul. Leading up to the events to where Ailana bit Walter to share her blood unto his. Since Ailana was born from the Mantra body of Eden, the blood not only invigorated Walter, but also led to the reemergence of the dragon’s essence.

“So the true purpose of the Regnant of Eve… was to safeguard the Mantra not from the mortal coil. But to keep it from finding its way towards the beast’s soul vessel. Adam, the Golden Ancestor knew… from the start…”

\----------------------------------------------

“...”

Waking up from the vision, Eden glanced at Walter. As she went to examine his body, all the black veins that once riddled his body now disappeared. Illuminating her hand from her Avidaya-Arm she carefully hovered it upon his chest.

“--Barely.”

She muttered as Walter’s soul projected upon the light of her palm. It revealed that the Mantra merely poked its shell, otherwise the beast was two steps away from awakening. Shedding the first layer of the soul vessel has already made it aware. Which would mean if Walter does so experience another near-death experience involving being revived by the Mantra, The ten-headed dragon will fully awaken. 

With the accord finally complete, Eden finally retreated back unto Ailana’s psyche, giving her back her control over her body. As she rescinded, Ailana’s body began to return to normal. The transformation took alot from her, with her wounds reopening.

“W-Walter…”

Ailana raised her hand as she slowly approach Walter, but due to the fatigue and injuries, she finally succumbed to it. Before she fell down, a fast-approaching shadow swooped down to her aid, catching her in its arms. This shadow then removed its shroud, revealing its identity.

“Ailana… I’m sorry that mother couldn’t help you in time.”

It was Lady Aifina herself, she was there when Ailana’s transformation as Eden occurred. And it pained her that as always, she could not even lift a finger to help her daughter. The sun was a terrible bane for her Cursed Blood.

The night finally fell, and the authorities began populating the area once more. The mother and daughter were nowhere in sight. Only the still body of a sleeping Walter remained.

\----------------------------------

Yorktown State University

After the citywide catastrophe, the Metro Zone went about its usual protocol. Within a few weeks, the city itself was rebuilt from the seemingly unmanageable damages dealt by the incursion. The immortal invaders seemed to have just disappeared, never to be heard from again. 

Meanwhile, other branches of the Regnant of Eve from other countries were in complete chaos as word reached them that the Elder Council was reportedly decimated. Lady Aifina and her daughter, the Lotton Clan was to blame for the incident and has been marked by death. It would not be long before the remnants come for both their heads, demanding justice for the destruction of the main branch of the order.

Walter on the other hand, was found upon the ruins of the demolished Yorktown Medical. He was quickly transferred by paramedics to the New Yorktown Medical, where he continued his hospital confinement. A few weeks have passed and he finally woke up with his eyes finally can see the light of the world once more. 

Ever since, he showed signs of great recovery and was out of confinement a few days later to resume his days as a normal individual. Yet in his remaining days at the hospital, he spent it wondering that something was off, something was missing. Even with him out of the hospital, he still could not shake the feeling that he was supposed to be doing something or maybe meeting someone?

“Ah…!”,

“Oh! Oh I’m so sorry. Here let me help.”

Walter suddenly bumped unto a girl by accident. He was so busy having lost in thought that he did not notice the passerby in front of him. As he helped the girl with her books scattered on the floor, he noticed that the girl seemed aloof in front of him; he just ignored it because he did not want to assume too much.

The girl also donned a rather thick hoodie and a skirt that bore resemblance to the YSU uniforms. He could only assume that she was one of the students here. Besides that, it would seem that she was actively avoiding eye contact, although Walter did get a glimpse of her profile if only a little.

“Thank you…”,

“You’re welcome! Take care.”

Walter saw the girl off with a cordial gesture and just went separate ways.

“...?”

But then it hit him as he saw her barely-visible face, he paused as he saw the girl still hurrying about her business.

“Umm… wait! Umm… miss?”,

“...”

The girl seemed to stopped as soon as Walter called for her.

“If you don’t mind--Do--Do we know each other? Have have we met?”

Walter asked nervously. The reserved girl paused for a while, as if contemplating whilst clutching her books. Then finally after much hesitation, she finally faced him and just lightly shook her head.

“O-Oh… Um… Sorry it was a weird thing to ask. Carry on then.”

He quickly apologized for such a sudden loaded question. As soon as he turned around, a rather deep-seethed disappointment hang over him. He glanced over once again, only to see that the girl was gone.

As soon as Walter was gone, the girl emerged from the corner, pulling her hood down. She bit her lip as her tears rolled down her fair cheeks. It was Ailana all along, she hid herself and tried to control herself from running to Walter and embrace him after long last, that he was finally safe.

“I’m so sorry… Walter…”

In the end, she could not--she must not. Since her clan was marked for death by the order remnants, Ailana needs to distance herself from him as much as possible until all of this conflict is sorted out. She then quietly left the school grounds as she emitted the aura of the Avidaya, its ability to rewrite the memories to any person around her. 

With this new-found power, she erased herself from the memories of all the people she has came across with. And with the help of her aunt, Celica, all of her records were deleted and removed from the school’s main database. It was an uneventful and discreet farewell, Ailana could not ask for more.

Deeming the Yorktown Metro Zone unsafe if they were still present, Lady Aifina and Ailana left the Metro Zone vowing someday to return when the coast is clear. Ailana’s only regret, was she never gave a proper goodbye for Walter even though he really deserved it….

Walter’s life would resume a normal life for a few more years… until… that fateful moment… when a certain red-head young girl from the Point Lookout Yellow Zone sets her foot upon the city…

Web of Darkness END…


End file.
